The Ties That Bind
by AngeloftheMorning1978
Summary: A&A AU Warning! Erotica!
1. Chapter 1

**A&A/ AU**

This may not me to everyone's taste, but give it a try.

I think it's interesting and worth writing down.

**The Ties That Bind**

1.

~ Arthur looked out at the sea of faces he had known most of his life. Young men and women he had grown up with as a child. Their world, perfect and sheltered, was changing now. Their life's purpose was becoming real. They were no longer children, or young people in their 20's. At least, the men weren't.

A bell rang and everyone at the large, elegant dinner party stood as Arthur's father and several other elders read from the sacred text.

It was the same thing over and over again. Nothing he hadn't heard before, yet tonight, it moved him more than he remembered as a young man. The promise of new life, the continuation of a legacy. The trust and love of child and parent that is felt more strongly by the people in this room, than by outsiders.

When the toast came, Arthur was the first to raise his glass.

"For our sons, for our daughters." came the cry of the hall.

~ "So glad you came back into the fold, Arthur." Richard said as father and son walked away from the fancy party. Men and women dressed in splendid evening wear as they talked lightly and discussed future plans. They were the lucky ones, the chosen ones.

"It's good to be back." Arthur sighed as he looked around the elegant dinning hall of the high end apartment building he had spent his boyhood in.

The Demeter* wasn't just another Park Avenue address with hundreds of spacious apartments and lush services, it was private and exclusive. No one could rent an apartment there, or even gain entrance inside, no one.

"Tell me, do you have a potential mother in mind?" Richard asked hopefully.

"Dad, I was thinking of going outside the group." Arthur said.

Richard stiffened.

"An outsider, Into our way of life would not be good, Arthur. What about Helen? She's a lovely girl and already had a child with Tom, an old friend of yours. She weathered the pregnancy beautifully and the baby was perfect." Richard offered.

"No." Arthur told him.

"Arthur, an outsider would be too much work. To find a suitable candidate, to test and screen them, to bring them in. What if she changes her mind and refuses to give the baby up? What if she tries to go to the press?" Richard told him.

"We've done it before. My mother was an outsider." Arthur told him.

Richard hung his head.

"Yes, and had she been brought up in our ways, things would not have happened the way they did. A child born here, never belongs to us, does it? A woman who is an outsider will never be able to understand that." Richard told him.

Arthur looked at the beautiful women at the party tonight. All of them were of the age to fulfill their birth right, all of them capable of providing for Arthur. Yet, none of them appealed to him.

"I want an outsider." Arthur told his father.

~ Ariadne took forever with these intelligence tests and felt drained just now. She had answered an ad in the paper of a fertility clinic, offering a lot of money to sell her eggs. It had been a little strange to respond to an ad like this. But, the operation seemed alright. She was interviewed at a clinic where her blood work was taken, her personal information recorded.

Then there were IQ testing and physical endurance testing. Her complete medical history was looked over, and all she could think about was that she needed a nap now that it was almost over.

Her last tuition check for school bounced and her student aide had been declined. She made good grades, but she already owed too much money and would have to leave school soon if she couldn't pay.

The $10,000 that was being offered for her eggs would go a long way. She didn't think about the fact that there would be a child out there and she would be it's mother. But then again, no she wouldn't. It was just her eggs, she wouldn't be pregnant. It was no different than a man giving sperm. She had never, and most likely would never be pregnant. Having a baby was not on her to do list. Babies were messy, smelly, demanded a lot of attention and took even more money. It was hardly worth it.

She liked her freedom and intended to keep it.

She put her pencil down and her test was taken away.

A clerk came into the room and brought her some water to drink and some fruit to eat. They were always giving her only water and healthy snacks. Always asking if she needed more to eat.

She was glad it was almost over when an older man came into the room and sat down in front of her.

"Ariadne, is it? Like in Greek mythology?" he said with a pleasant smile.

"Oh, yes." she said and tried to look professional.

"My name is Richard." he said and looked over a thick folder which she realized was her tests and lab work.

"Tell me, have you ever engaged in prostitution?" he asked.

"No." Ariadne said shocked he would even ask such a thing.

"I'm not trying to offend you, dear." Richard said. "It is standard."

"Oh." Ariadne told him shifting uncomfortably.

"Do you have a boyfriend?"

"No."

"Have you ever had an STD?" he asked.

"I had mono once." Ariadne told him. She meant it as a joke, but the older man glared at her. "No, sir." she whispered.

"Tell me about your sexual partners." he demanded.

"What?" she gasped in alarm.

"How many sexual partners have you had? Oral sex included." he said.

She stood up to leave.

"Please don't go." he asked.

"Pervert." she hissed at him and stepped away from the well dressed man with a dirty mind.

"Ariadne, your bank account is at negative, you owe a lot of money to school already and you are still a year away from graduation. In a month, you'll have nowhere to live." he said after her.

She stopped and turned on him.

"So?" she challenged.

"So." Richard said smoothly. "Sit back down and lets finish this interview."

Her instinct was to leave anyway. But everything he had said was true. She was scared of how deep in debt she was in. How her loans were not going to pay for school and how she couldn't work and go to class at the same time.

Reluctantly, she sat back down.

"Thank you." Richard said kindly. "I know some of these questions are odd, but they are standard."

"Fine." Ariadne said with an air of '_I don't give a damn_'.

"How many sexual partners have you had in your lifetime?" he asked.

"Three." she said.

"When did you become sexually active?"

"I was sixteen." she said feeling uncomfortable.

"Have you ever been pregnant?" he asked and looked at her. His body tense and alert for the answer.

"No." she told him honestly.

"Did you use birth control? A shot or the pill perhaps?" he asked.

"No, we always used a condom." she said and looked at her shoes.

"Always?" he asked.

"Yes." she told him.

"Good." he said cheerfully. "Your lab work came back clean of any STD's and your exam showed no abnormalities. Your standing at school is very good and your intelligence tests are off the charts."

"So, does that mean I'll get paid for harvesting my eggs?" she asked hopefully.

"What if I told you I could do better for you?" he asked.

"What do you mean?" she asked and leaned away from him.

"What if I told you, that you would be provided with a very nice place to live for a year, full medical and all the bills provided? You wouldn't have to worry, only go to school and your student loans would be repaid in full, with enough left over to travel or even go to graduate school if you like." he said.

She was suspicious.

"What's the catch?" she asked.

"There is a catch." he said knowingly and looked at his folder.

He let out a long sigh.

"Your end of the bargain would be to have a baby. To carry a child to term and then give it up." he said.

"Surrogacy?" Ariadne laughed.

She stood.

"I came here for egg donation. I hoped to make enough to go to school but what you're suggesting is out of the question." she said and shook her head.

"It's a year of your life, Ariadne. A year where you will earn more money than most people make in ten. You'll be debt free, and with your degree. How many young women can say that? You'll be provided with a place to stay on Park Avenue an you'll be able to finish school and not have to work a full time job just to live. You can do as you please with the money left over. I urge you to think about this." Richard called after her.

Ariadne stopped in her tracks. She turned back to the man.

"How... how much money left over?" she asked.

~ Arthur was watching the girl with the dark hair from the security room next door. He had watched her take her tests, even observed her during her medical exams through the tiny hidden cameras.

The clinic was a blind his father set up for him to find the right girl. It had been useful, after three months of searching, he found her.

"Arthur, are you sure?" Richard asked as he came back into the room to see his son watching Ariadne.

"I'm sure." Arthur said numbly. "She's the one."

"I've no doubt she would provide you with healthy, beautiful offspring." Richard sighed. "It would just be a lot easier to have you couple with a girl who knows how these things go."

"She can be brought in. She has no family." Arthur told his father.

"All the more reason why she won't give the child up when the time comes." Richard argued. "Now, Arthur, she is beautiful, I'll grant you that. It's my opinion that you are only interested in bedding the girl, not serving your purpose. Your purpose is to provide a legacy, a child, that will enable us to endure. Remember, for our sons, for our daughters." his father said.

"Dad, if I was looking for sex only, I could have had her." Arthur grumbled.

"Do not talk to me about the filth you partook in before coming back to the fold, Arthur. Sexual relations without procreation is a vice. This girl participated in it to and it will make your offspring weak and rejected by the group." Richard argues.

"Dad, she's the one I want. She's the one I want to be the mother of my child." Arthur told him.

Richard sighed.

"What I do for you." he said.

"I am your only child. How many men in the Demeter can say that?" Arthur told him.

"Not many." Richard said. "It will take a great deal of money. Her student loans, not to mention the half million to send her on her way after the child is born."

"I know." Arthur said.

"I need you to be certain. Have a long talk with her, and be sure she's the one. Once you've impregnated her, she and the child will be your responsibility. An expectant mother is almost as much to deal with as a spoiled child." his father said. "Your mother-"

The older man fell silent.

"Maybe Ariadne won't take the money. Maybe she'll stay." Arthur offered sadly.

"Arthur, they always take the money. I thought your mother would stay with our group because she loved me; because she loved you. But, in the end, she wanted her freedom and her money; she left us." Richard said. "We were fine, we had our real family."

"Why did you never find another woman?" Arthur asked.

"Because no woman ever measured up." Richard laughed.

Arthur was silent.

"This Ariadne, she's willing to negotiate. She's with a lawyer and he's explaining her rights to her and what will be involved." Richard said as he tried to compose himself.

"Not all the details, I hope." Arthur chuckled as his father handed him the folder with Ariadne's personal information.

"No, that's for you to do." he said.

*** Demeter. Goddess of fertility**


	2. Chapter 2

2.

~ Ariadne was amazed at the apartment that would be hers. The building was an architectural dream. Old world details of rich inlaid wood floors in the lobby and stunning statues of goddesses adorned the outer facade. It was a massive apartment complex that hosted a gym, dinning halls kitchens with room service, and even a small park and playground that was centered inside the building and secluded from the city.

"So, you'll stay here for a year. Even if there is a miscarriage, you'll still be able to stay." the lawyer said. He was a thin little man that Richard had hired to explain the contract to her and protect her rights. Ariadne explored the large one bedroom apartment that was still bigger and more luxurious than anything she was used to. There was even a large fire place in the sitting room.

"It's beautiful!" Ariadne cried as she rushed to the large floor to ceiling windows and looked out at the park. "I'll have my own kitchen!" she screamed as she ran her hands over the marble counter tops and then looked at the bedrooms.

"Yes, you'll have a decorating allowance, clothing allowance and..." he looked over the pages. "you'll have full access to the gym and room service that the Demeter provides. They even have a massage therapist on call, as well as a full spa." he laughed.

"So, what's the deal? Who is this couple I'm having a baby for?" Ariadne asked as she wandered through the empty apartment and relished the hard wood floors and fine detailing of each room. She hadn't really accepted she would be a surrogate mother yet, the rewards of such a thing were too good to ignore. For a year of her life, 9 months really, all her problems would be gone. She would be well off, have her degree and her life would finally begin.

Having a baby was not part of her goals, but it wouldn't be her baby, it would be the couple's baby.

"They will remain anonymous." the lawyer said.

"So, I won't meet them?" she asked. "When will I go to the clinic?" she asked him as she wondered how to decorate the apartment and if she would be allowed to take the furniture with her after the year was up.

"They will advise you on the matter. The most important part is that you have to agree to a strict set of guidelines while pregnant. No smoking, drinking, no caffeine or junk foods, no sugar. Regular work outs and weekly trips to the on sight doctor." the lawyer said. "That's strange." the lawyer added.

"How so?" Ariadne asked.

"Normally, the couple would want to at least meet you. I've heard of conditions like eating healthy being applied and even housing being provided for, but there is no name of the couple." he said.

"It's okay, isn't it?" Ariadne asked. "I mean, I'll get paid at the end? Right?"

"They already gave you a check for $5,000 in good faith money." the lawyer said.

Ariadne snatched the check away from him like a drowning woman.

"Just for saying yes." she breathed.

"The main part of this is you have to agree to sign the child over when it's born." the lawyer told her.

"Sure, I don't want a baby." she laughed and sighed the contract without reading it.

~ Arthur debated whether or not to knock on her door. It had been a week and Ariadne had moved in. Right away, Miss Lawson, a friend of the family, had come and helped her decorate and have the apartment furnished. It was the height of bad manners to meet the mother of his child in a half furnished apartment. It was important that a mother feel safe and at home before conception.

The Demeter was more than an exclusive apartment building. It housed men and women who held fast to the belief that their legacy, their children, were more sacred than most. As a result, they were more selective about their procreation practices.

Fertile women were regarded as sacred vessels. Their bodies meant only for carrying children. Some women, who had grown up in the Demeter, didn't share this ancient view and left. So did many of the young men. However, some came back into the fold. Their teachings and instincts guiding them back into a life where there were no husbands and wives, no lovers no mistresses. Only the simple and fierce love of child and parent and the obligation to continue the line.

It had always been like this and outsiders were discouraged.

The Demeter was built at the turn of the century when the group went underground and cut themselves off from a rapidly growing world. Things had changed too much and they would not accept it. So, they built the large apartment building, and sealed themselves and their practices away. Outsiders would not understand why they lived this way, their breeding habits would be seen as strange and taboo. Their children might be in danger.

Arthur took another deep breath and knocked on her door.

~ Ariadne loved her new home. She had received very little word about going to a clinic for the testing and impregnation. In fact, no one said anything about it. A pleasant woman came by last week and almost over night, her home was furnished to her style and looked like something out of a magazine. It was too perfect in color and function. Right down to the way her home smelled, it was like heaven. She would wander from room to room, taking in how lovely the leather couch, with designer pillows thrown over it looked. How comfortable it was to sink into and read. How her dinning room table was an antique with a matching buffet table.

How her bedroom was fitted with an amazing canopy bed that made her feel like a princess. The walls were repainted a lush, soothing green for the living room, a heirloom blue for the dinning room, a cheerful yellow for the kitchen, and cozy chocolate color in her bedroom.

Added to that, she received fresh flowers ever morning and the whole space seemed infused with positive energy.

Her home was so wonderful, she didn't want to leave, and didn't really have to. There was a tiny gourmet grocery in the basement of the building that catered to the residents there. Ariadne had found it by accident as she was exploring one day.

It made her a special artisan bread of walnuts and cranberry when she told them they were her favorite. In fact, they sent her food stock every morning so she didn't need to venture downstairs again.

Each morning at around 10am, a delivery man would show up. Her daily flowers in one arm, a large basket of food in the other. She had tried the almond milk, the organic tomatoes, the free range eggs, the fresh squeezed orange juice that came in funny shaped glass bottles that she couldn't bare to throw away.

Her life was so amazing, she never wanted to leave.

One thing that troubled her, although she couldn't really complain, there was no soda or coffee or sugar of any kind. She had a powerful craving for pizza her second night in her new place and when she went downstairs to go out to eat, she was told she couldn't.

"Conditions of your contract ma'am." the delivery man who guarded the doors said. "No junk food."

"It's only pizza and I'm not even..." she broke off as the Richard made an appearance out of the little office.

"Ariadne, dear." he said cheerfully. "Why don't you go up to your apartment and I'll have the kitchen make a special pizza for you? They make this one with organic cheese, spinach and mushrooms that you'll think you've died and gone to heaven."

She was about to protest, she wasn't a prisoner after all, but a security man came into the lobby and she silently stepped back on the elevator.

Less than an hour later, a large gourmet pizza arrived at her door. Richard hadn't lied, it was the best, but the fact she couldn't go out, was troubling.

~ The doorman brought her things she needed, books and magazines, She had internet access and took her classes online. She was amazed she was able to take all the classes she needed for graduation online, even more amazing they were not filled up. Richard must have pulled some strings for her.

She was looking over her syllabus when a there was a knock at the door.

'_Probably the delivery man_.' she thought feeling annoyed. '_Dropping off some organic veggies for me._'

When she opened the door, she almost gasped.

It wasn't the doorman or the delivery man. Not even Richard, but a tall, lean young man who was dressed superbly in a suit.

Ariadne suddenly felt out of place in her chic apartment in nothing but yoga pants, and her old high school band sweat shirt that was faded and too loose. Her hair wasn't cute today and she hadn't bothered to put on make up.

She was very aware she looked horrible in front of him.

"Can I help you?" she asked as he meet her in the eye.

She felt herself blush and he didn't say anything at first, just held out his hand for her to shake. His eyes staying on hers the whole time.

"I'm sorry to bother you with no notice." he said. His voice had a pleasing deepness to it that made her weak in the knees.

"It's okay." she said feeling like a stupid school girl in front of her crush. "I was just, reading, um a thing... um... for school." she finished.

An image of a dive turned belly flop into a pool flashed in her head as she realized how stupid that sounded in front of this handsome, professional looking man.

She should have told him:

'_No, it's fine, I was just taking a break from cooking dinner and reading War and Peace. I so enjoy those kinds of novels for a bit of light reading._' but that sounded even stupider.

"My name is Arthur, I'm here about the arrangements you made for surrogacy." he told her.

"Oh!" she startled.

This was her doctor. The in house one she was told about, making a house call and getting to know her.

"Oh, come on in." she said and stood aside to allow him inside.

He nodded politely and stepped in. His large hands retreating to his pockets as he looked around the handsome rooms.

"The redecorating went well. Very cozy here." he told her.

"Isn't it wonderful? The lady who did it said I can even keep the furniture when I leave." she told him as she wished she had a bottle of wine. Like pizza and junk food, the shop in the basement didn't sell alcohol at all.

"Can I get you something to drink?" she asked. "I just got fresh orange juice this morning.

"That would be lovely." Arthur said as he looked over the rooms and sat down on the comfy leather sofa.

She raced to her kitchen as soon as he was out of sight and ran her fingers through her hair and wished she was dressed better. She wasn't even wearing a bra, just her stay at home clothes.

She poured them each a glass of the delicious organic juice and tried to act normal.

"Here we go." she said with a stupid sort of happiness as she came back into the room.

He had been looking over her school work. The text books laid on her marble top coffee table in a haphazard way.

"Architecture student." he said as he held up her book.

"Oh, yes. I've been in love with this building. It's so unlike anything in the city. It's like a gem. I can't believe it's not famous." she said.

"I need to tell you, that it's in your confidentiality agreement never to discuss the Demeter." Arthur said taking the glass from her. "Or anything that happens here." he added taking a sip.

"I won't." she told him hurriedly. "It's just, why not?" she asked him.

"It's complicated, let's leave it at that. Drink your juice." he said with a nod.

Ariadne drank a little, and Arthur seemed happy.

"It's very important to have citric acid in your system before conception. The first few months are critical." he said.

"I never thought about it." she said with a shrug. "So, you're the doctor they hired? When will I have to go to the clinic? I mean, is there anything I need to do before the insemination?" she asked feeling a hot flush tint her cheeks.

Arthur met here eyes again and she was glad she had a reason to see more of him. He would be her doctor and see her every few weeks now, how wonderful and convenient. They would be friends, maybe flirt a little.

"I'm not the doctor." he told her. We have a specialist on sight. A doctor Yuseff. He's the best baby doctor in the city and only sees 20 women a year." he told her.

"Wow." she exclaimed with a sort of disappointment. "Why so few?"

"He's on reserve for us." Arthur explained.

"Us?"

"It's complicated."

Arthur let out a sigh.

"So, if your not my doctor, are you another lawyer? Because I've met with a few already." she said. She didn't understand now what he was doing here.

"No, I'm not another lawyer." he said with a rare smile. "I'm going to be the father."


	3. Chapter 3

3.

~ Ariadne felt her heart break slightly. Of course this handsome, wells tailored man was married and taken. Men like him didn't just exist without a woman catching him.

"Oh." she breathed and felt disappointed

"Yes." he said and looked her over. A worried expression tinting his features.

"So, you and your wife can't have children?" she realized.

"I'm not married." he told her quickly.

"You and your girlfriend?"

He gave a laugh.

"Not hardly."

"Oh!" she said in alarm. "Oh you're gay!" she in shocked surprise.

That made more sense. The nice suit, the perfection of appearance and the willingness to have her decorate her home.

Arthur laughed.

"No, no I'm not gay." he said and leaned back in her comfy leather couch. His eyes met hers again and he gave her a smile.

"I don't have any relationships just now. It's not really our way. Monogamy is an unnatural state for nature to thrive. I'm at the age to be a father, I've requested it, and was granted the privilege. I selected you to carry my child." he said.

He mind rejected the entire sentence.

'_What did he say? He's not married and he requested to be a father, and he chose me... what?_'

Arthur must have read her confused look.

"You will be impregnated, carry my child to term, and give the baby to me." he said.

He mind didn't want to work right.

"So, there is no couple." she said stupidly. "Just... just you."

"Correct."

"Um, forgive me, Arthur." his name felt odd on her tongue. "But you don't seem the changing dippers type."

"I don't." he agreed.

"Why do you want this? I mean with no wife... it's just... odd." she told him.

"I won't be raising the child alone. Not by any means." he told her. "There are families here in the building who will raise the baby. They have not been granted the privilege of mating due to some failing, and they are willing to be parents to a newborn who isn't theirs."

"So, there is a couple!" Ariadne exclaimed and let out a sigh of relief. "You're just a sperm donor."

"I'm _not_ a sperm donor, and never say something like that again." Arthur suddenly growled.

Ariadne sat back and felt like she had done something wrong.

"What did I say?" she asked.

Arthur shook his head.

"The whole artificial insemination is... highly offensive to us." he said. Visibly trying to calm himself. "I'm not a sperm donor and you are not just a surrogate. You're a mother-to-be and I'm a father-to-be. We are not lab experiments."

"I_ am_ a surrogate. This isn't my baby I'm having, but the couple's baby." she told him.

He looked at her then. Their eyes meeting in a way that made her weak again.

"You'll be able to do it? You'll be able to give the baby up?" he asked.

"I don't want a kid." she laughed. "I have a lot to do with my life and being a single mother is not high on the list."

"I thought all women wanted to be mothers." he mused.

"Not all of us." she said. "This is the modern world. I want to travel and have a career. Things you can't do with a baby in tow."

"Very true." he agreed.

She counted to ten in the silence that followed.

"Um, Arthur?" he looked at her. "You're not a sperm donor, I get that you don't want to be called that, but we're going to go to the clinic. When is that going to happen? Will Yuseff call me or something like that?"

"No." he said calmly. "Dr. Yuseff will not be involved until after you're pregnant. The impregnation will be done here in this apartment, by me."

Ariadne stopped breathing.

"What?" she asked in a small voice.

"There will be no clinic." he told her.

"You're going to impregnate me? How?" she asked and then the reality of what he said hit her in the face. "Oh!" she exclaimed and stood.

"We do not conceive our children in labs." he told her.

"This wasn't apart of the agreement." she said feeling panicked. She had to get him out of her home. She had to pack her bags and leave the Demeter all together.

"Yes it was." he said calmly.

"I looked over the contract, it's not in there about having sex with you." she told him.

Arthur pulled out a neatly folded paper from his breast pocket and gave it to her.

"The highlighted section." he said calmly.

Ariadne snatched a copy of the contract.

"Methods of laboratory conception will only be applied when all other proven means of impregnation have failed. Potential mothers must be available for sessions of possible impregnation. These times are not limited to her highest days of fertility." she read out load.

She looked at the contract again. Her girlish signature was at the bottom.

'_I agreed to have sex with him. I've agreed to have sex until I get pregnant and have his baby.'_ she thought wildly.

"No, this isn't right." she told him giving him back the contract.

"Fine." he said standing up and taking the paper. "You can move out tomorrow, give back the $5,000 in good faith money, and you will see us in court for breech of contract."

"This is... this is prostitution." she said hurriedly thinking of a reason to wheedle out of her deal with the devil.

"Not under the law it's not." he told her. "I have specif tastes when it comes to procreation and a lab is not one of them." he said sternly. "What kind of offspring would a lab yield?"

"I... I thought it would be in a clinic and I wouldn't... _know_ the father." she stammered.

"We're not in a relationship." he said logically. "I will only see you on the evenings when we have the best opportunity to conceive. If that fails, then we will explore the lab setting."

"I'm sorry, why are you involved? Why your baby?" she asked. "It's a little silly to have a new child when there a needy children all over the world."

Arthur sighed and stood.

"I won't go into this matter now." he said. "Take the night to think it over. If, in the morning, you've changed your mind, you may leave the Demeter. You can return the money and I won't sue."

Her mind was racing and she was worried she might be sick.

"I'll come and see you at seven tomorrow night and we can talk some more if you decide to stay. Our first night together will be in three days. If you like, we can use that time to get to know one another." he stood and gave her a little nod as he made his leave.

"After it's done," she called out. He turned and looked at her. "After I did my part and... you did yours... what happens to the child?"

"He or she would be mine. My son or daughter would be raised by a couple under my supervision. He or she would be well educated, proved for, and taught and trained as I see fit." he told her.

"And me?" she said weakly. "Where would I be?"

"You said so yourself you didn't want to be a mother." he told her. "You would have no rights to the baby under your contract. You would be free and very well off when it's over."

She watched as he turned and left her in a her pretty apartment.

~ Ariadne couldn't sleep.

Under normal circumstances, she would have happily take Arthur to bed with her. The moment he laid his eyes on hers, she could picture herself with him. An instant spark of attraction that made her pulse quicken.

She liked him. Liked the way he dressed, the way he smelled. His manners and looks. Then he had to open his mouth.

She couldn't do this. Couldn't have sex with him till she got pregnant and then give the baby away. It was one thing to not know who the father was. To go to a clinic and have a stranger's baby for a nice childless couple who she knew and could trust to care for a baby. But what Arthur said made no sense. It was more logical, safer and neater to go to a lab. They way he suggested, that made this more difficult.

'_I can't do this._' she sighed and turned over in her comfy bed.

Could she afford not to do this? She had a beautiful home, rent free, for a year. She had good food, could finish school on time, and have her debts erased. In a year, she would be a free woman again. It was just her body they needed right now.

Arthur wouldn't be so bad to have a child by. If the situation wouldn't have been so odd, she would have wanted him anyway.

But the idea she had to submit to him sexually disturbed her. It was too intimate knowing, personally and physically knowing the child's father.

No, she couldn't do this.

Maybe she could do this.

Could she do this?

Yes, she could do this.


	4. Chapter 4

4.

~ Arthur knew Ariadne hadn't left. He knew in his bones she wouldn't. She liked her new home too much and she wasn't totally offended by the idea of being with him.

Nor he her.

He liked how pretty and comfortable she looked in the apartment. How she wore that old sweat shirt and had no bra on under it. He liked how... human she looked.

Her home was comfortable to; he liked being there. There was no outrageous theme and she had, so far, kept everything very tidy. She was enjoying everything the Demeter provided and she might not want to leave.

'_Maybe she'll stay after the child is born._' he thought as he rode the elevator up to her floor.

~ The hall that housed her apartment was mostly empty for a reason. It would not do for an outsider to know her neighbors too well. Tom, who headed up the gourmet grocery and who stocked the kitchen said she had already been exploring and found them. Arthur had kept her away by sending up groceries to her apartment.

He would have to think of ways to keep her occupied. A spa day perhaps or maybe he could take her out. They had already locked off the family parts to the apartments. Her access to the other floors was limited, but she was still an outsider and already knew too much.

~ Ariadne had been cooking all afternoon. She wasn't used to making nice meals and found a cooking show that made it look easy. The grocer didn't provide red meat, which she found odd, and instead, sent up a well butchered goose.

She wasn't used to preparing anything so elaborate as this. It was a project of seasoning and basing the large bird.

She managed to pull of the roasted potatoes and other vegetables. The artisan bread just needed to be warmed.

She was quick to change as it was almost seven and she knew, even without knowing him very well, Arthur was always on time.

~ Right at seven, the bell rang. She imagined he had waited outside her door till it was the correct time.

She pretended to be indifferent to the hours she had spent cooking and picking out something to wear. She pretended she didn't care about the work she put into her hair, make up and other odds and ends to looking good tonight.

"I see you've decided to stay." Arthur said as she opened the door.

She saw his eyes rake down her body and appreciate the nice, simple dress she had on.

"I have." she told him.

"You look nice." he said as he came into the apartment.

"Oh, thanks." she said casually. "I've been cooking. I thought we could have dinner."

"Sounds lovely." he said with a warm smile.

She tried not to blush as she went to the kitchen and he followed.

"Is there anything I can help you with?" he asked as she checked over her goose in the oven. Her bird looked beautiful, crispy and golden in his pan. A wonderful wave of hunger passed over her as she saw him sizzling.

"Oh no," she said with graceful ease. "Everything is ready."

"Smells good in here." he added. "Can I set the table?"

"Sure." she said and nodded to the cabinet.

Arthur took down her newly purchased plates and flatware. The tasteful blue willow flowers looked flattering on the mahogany dinning table.

"I wanted a beef roast, but Tom said he doesn't carry red meat." she called out as she pulled the goose from the oven and readied the potatoes for the table.

"No, he wouldn't." Arthur called back as he came in from the dinning room. "Red meat isn't good for you. He only supplies fish, and poultry."

"No pork?" she asked.

"No."

Ariadne had to let that go. She loved bacon on her pizza. Another thing to give up for a year.

"You guys are health nuts here, huh?" she asked as she handed him the bowl with the side dishes to put on the table.

He laughed.

"We try."

"No sugar, no caffeine, no alcohol, no read meat or pork."

"I'm a vegetarian." he told her and they both stared at the beautiful goose that was ready to eat.

"Oh, Arthur I had no idea." she stammered and felt stupid for not asking.

"It's alright." he said. "I really appreciate the gesture, it looks wonderful."

"I should have asked!" she almost cried.

"You can eat it." he offered with a little smile.

"No, it's not fair to you." she told him as she stomach grumbled at the smell of the goose.

"Ariadne." he said sternly. "I want you to eat your dinner."

~ She had never eaten goose before and it was worth all the work. The meat was better than chicken, better than anything she had before. She could eat it every day, and with all the left overs, she might have to.

"So, have you thought about our arrangement?" he asked as he ate the steamed vegetables and potatoes.

"Yes." she said and avoided looking at him.

"And?" he prompted.

She let out a sigh.

"I'm going to do it." she said.

"You know all that this will entail, right?" he asked.

"You mean having sex with you? Having a child with you and then giving it up?" she asked. "Yes."

"You understand that after the baby is born, you will have no claims to it?" he added.

"I understand." she said sharply.

Arthur sat back in his chair and looked at her.

"Can I asked you why you chose me?" she asked as she finished eating.

Her companion looked surprised.

"You said you chose me. Why?" she asked.

"You're very smart." he said.

"There are smarter women." she said.

"You are also very... um... beautiful and have attributes I would like to see in my offspring." he said in a clinical way.

"So, you will be involved in the child's life?" she asked.

"Of course."

"Why won't I?" she asked. "I mean, why cut the mother out?"

"You said you didn't want to raise a child." he said.

"I don't." she said eagerly. "But, it's strange we would have a baby together and I would leave. Normally, it's the man who leaves."

"This is a unique situation." he said and drank some water.

"How so?" she asked.

"You're an outsider. You don't know our ways."

"What ways?"

Arthur shook his head.

"It's personal." he said.

~ She asked no more questions. Arthur helped her pack up the many left overs and put them in her fridge.

"I'm not used to cooking and didn't know how much to make for two people." she said lamely as they washed the dishes.

"It was very nice. Thank you." he said and he rolled up his sleeves and helped her dry.

She stole a glimpse at his forearms and held her breath.

'_Is it wrong to be attracted to him?_' she thought irrationally. '_Well, have to have..._'

She shook her head. They were a long way from that aspect of the agreement.

"Do you think you'll be able to do it?" he asked as he neatly put the dishes away.

"Have sex with you? Sure." she said.

"No, not just that, but give the baby up." he said.

"Oh." she said and blushed hotly.

"Sure. I told you, I don't want to be a mother. The couple who are going to raise it, are they nice?" she asked.

"Very." he told her. "I've known them since I was young. They wanted children of their own but were not allowed."

"Not allowed?" she asked.

Arthur nodded.

"They have certain traits we do not want passed down to the next generation." he explained. "We're very selective in out group when it comes to breeding."

"Breeding." she whispered. "That's what this is really about, isn't it? Why you had me tested so much, why you were so selective, it's all about the breeding stock."

Arthur looked at her. That maddening way he had of looking her in the eyes and nowhere else.

"It's not too late to change your mind." he said.

"Do you not want this?" she asked.

"No, I've wanted this for years now." he said quickly. "It's why I came back, to have children. I didn't want a child with any of the women here, however."

"So you chose me, because I could go away?" she asked.

"It may not lead to that." he said.

"What do you mean?"

"I can't talk to you about that just now." he said and his hands with to his pocket as he looked awkward in her her cheery kitchen.

She stood in front of him, very aware of what they were in each others company to do.

"So, what happens now?" she asked.

~ "I love your sketches." Arthur said as they lounged in her living room like a pair of over pampered cats.

Arthur had the radio on and the soft rhythm of sixties music made Ariadne feel more at ease. Freer and stronger somehow.

"Thanks." she said as she sat cross legged on the floor. "I've been working on them for a few years now, I wanted to be an illustrator when I was little. Do all the nice drawing in kids books."

"Why don't you?" he asked as he looked over her detailed drawings of animals.

"Can't earn a living like that." she said sadly. "Have to be realistic."

"So you draw for fun?" he asked. "You're very good at it."

The song ended and Hendrix started to sing "All along the watchtower".

"I know a way we can get to know each other better." Ariadne volunteered.

"How?" Arthur asked hopefully. They had gone through her sketch books, and talked a little. They were running out of things to say.

"We can play deserted island." she said.

"We're not going to discuss who we'd eat first and why, are we?" he asked.

"No." Ariadne said unphased by the horrible idea. "No, it's if you were on a deserted island with only three movies, three TV shows three books and three other castaways who would have a good skill to help you survive. Now, what would they be? Keep in mind it's not your _favorite_ movies and books, but the only three you'll have for the rest of your life."

"Is there any hope of rescue?" he asked.

"No. So these have to count." she said.

"Humm." he said and leaned back on her couch. "What would you choose?"

"I asked you first." she said.

Arthur looked grumpy.

"I suppose it wouldn't matter about the movies or TV shows." he said. "The island wouldn't have electricity. So, for books, I would choose some sort of survival guide, and guide to edible plants. For other people... I suppose military people who would help me survive and get us rescued."

"Arthur! You're not playing the game right." she scolded. "Assume it's the island from LOST and you have electricity and the comforts of home in your little Darma house."

"You didn't say it was the island from LOST, you specified deserted island." he said.

She let out a groan and buried her face in her hands.

"Well, what would you pick?" he asked.

"Movies? That's easy: Pride & Prejudice, the one with Mathew McFadden in it. Colin Firth can suck it." she said proudly. "Wizard of Oz and Casablanca."

"Why do girls love Mr. Darcy so much?" Arthur grumbled.

"Because he's awesome, don't interrupt." Ariadne scolded and he gave her a teasing grin.

"TV shows, I'm going with the Simpsons, Buffy and Downton Abby." she went on.

"Books?" he asked.

"That's harder, I'll have to get back to you on that." she said.

She smiled at the sound of a deep chuckle.

"People?" he asked.

"Let's see, My friend Samantha from school, and maybe a couple of hunky guys to build us shelter and find food for us." she said as an after thought.

"Very good." Arthur laughed.

"Now you." she insisted.

"I'm not good at this." he floundered.

"Come on."

"Well, I like documentaries." he offered hopefully.

"Movies?" she asked.

"I liked Gladiator... the Matrix... and Ocean's Eleven even though it never would have worked in real life, I liked it." he told her.

"Books?"

"I don't really read a lot of fiction. I like technical books. How to build things." he said.

"So you're a thinker." she laughed. "That's very cool. What is it you do?"

He was silent for a long time.

"I do a lot of things. It's best not to talk about." he said.

She felt her face fall in surprise as he put his jacket back on and prepared to leave.

"I should be going. Would you like to see each other tomorrow?" he asked.

"Alright." she said sadly as she stood.

She didn't want him to go. A strange part of her wanted him to stay the night.

"I'll bring the food next time." he offered as she walked him to the door.

"Okay." she whispered as she showed him out.

"Good night, Ariadne." he said and kissed her politely on the forehead.

Her heart raced as he gave her a comforting look of goodbye and left.


	5. Chapter 5

5.

~ '_This is stupid._' Ariadne thought as she couldn't sleep that night.

Why did part of her wish Arthur had spent the night? Had she been expecting it? Did she want it to happen? She had planned to go to a clinic and be divorced from the idea of the child with in her. But knowing the father-to-be, eating dinner with him... it changed everything.

She let out a long sigh.

She liked Arthur. He was a little grumpy and cold, but he warmed up quickly. He had a charming smile on the rare occasions he showed it to her.

He came out of his shell as they talked and listened to music. Yes, it was safe to say she did like him.

So why was it so important to him to have a baby? To have a baby with her? Why was she so special?

'_Stop worrying._' she told herself. '_You're here to do a job and nothing more. You've got your golden ticket; all you have to do is have sex with a handsome, charming man, be pampered for a year, and then walk away a free woman. No crying babies, not dipper changes, no child support, no worries._'

This thought didn't comfort her as she tired to go to sleep.

~ The idea that this was a job, didn't help. Maybe it would have if she and Arthur had never met and she was impregnated artificially, but his desire to do this the old fashioned way, changed her perspective. Still, they had dinner every night for the next few days and got to know one another.

"You really need to try and get your drawings looked at." Arthur prompted after dinner.

They had cooked a light meal and spent it going over her sketches. She even did a quick drawing of him. His slicked back hair, angular features and scowl were easy to mimic on paper.

"They're just sketches, stop acting like I'm the next Van Gough." she laughed as she sketched him at the dining room table.

"I don't compliment just to flatter your vanity." Arthur told her in a harsh tone. "If I say I like your drawings, it's because I mean it."

Ariadne didn't look at him as she carefully sketched his forearms. His dress shirt rolled up and he looked dashingly casual.

"Ariadne?" he asked.

"Yes?"

"It's time." he whispered.

"Time for what?" she asked.

"It's the first night of your ovulation cycle." he said discreetly even though they were alone in the dinning room.

She looked up at him in surprise.

"Oh." she breathed.

"Not too late to back out." he offered.

"No." she said and carefully shut her sketch book. "Um. I'll meet you in the... um the bedroom. Just give me a minute." she said and almost dropped her sketch book on the floor.

"Take you're time, it's still early." he told her as he drank what was left of his water.

She rushed to her bedroom and shut herself in the little bathroom. Her fingers hastily locking it behind her. She was breathing hard. A raw sensation of panicky fear prickling over her.

She knew this would happen. She had prepared for it mentally, yet here it was, the time had finally come. There would be no turning back after tonight.

She reminded herself to breath as she washed her face and brushed out her hair. She had showered that afternoon, but she ran a wet wash cloth under her arms, thinking to chase away any odors Arthur might find offensive.

'_Just go out there and do it, idiot_.' she told herself.

She slipped off her comfortable everyday clothes and changed her underwear. She found her somewhat sexy night gown and pulled it on over her head.

She caught her refection in the mirror and realized it wasn't a sexy night gown at all, but an old granny gown. She looked frumpy and old in it as she stripped it off and threw it on the bathroom floor in disgust.

She had nothing else to put on for bed. She kept meaning to do a load of laundry, but had been to preoccupied with online school work, her new life and thoughts about Arthur.

Her bedroom was still empty and she hastily ran to her bed and dove under the covers in just panties.

'_He'll see it all anyway, stupid._' she told herself and covered her body up with her blankets.

She felt like she waited for a long time before she heard his footfalls outside her door. A knock let her know he was just outside.

"Ariadne?" he called behind the closed bedroom door.

For a second she hesitated. She almost yelled out how she had changed her mind and to go away. Instead, she instinctively invited him in.

Arthur shyly appeared in her bedroom and she clutched the bedding tighter to her chest.

He said nothing as he sat on the edge of her bed and unlaced his shoes and slipped them off.

It seemed to take him a long time to remove his socks, the vest from his suit and strip off his tie. The whole time, his back was to her. The silence thick with unsaid words.

She suddenly felt very impatient. Her body had a strange itch that cried out for attention. The type of attention only a man could give her. Why couldn't he hurry up?

Then he stood and started to unbutton his shirt as he moved to her side of the bed.

"I... I can help you with that." she said softly and she reached out for his shirt buttons. She felt she should have something to do to help get them in the mood. This was becoming more and more awkward by the second.

"I can manage, I think." he said with a smile.

She instantly felt better at the sight of his smile. Her body relaxed a little as he pulled his dress shirt off, then his undershirt and revealed a chest that was not very well toned, but was lean and inviting none the less.

They caught each others eye as he went to unzip his pants and she quickly looked away and pretended to be busy setting her alarm clock.

She could feel him climb into bed with her and his large hand pull her hips to him.

She took a deep breath and at first, her body went ridged.

"How do you feel?" he asked as she opened her eyes to see him so close to her.

She kept the bedding between them and tried to act normal.

"Fine, I feel fine." she told him and gave him a nervous smile.

That nice grin of his greeted her but didn't reach his eyes.

His own smile vanished as he looked over her face for a long time. Ariadne couldn't help but feel she was under some kind of inspection and laid motionless as his eyes looked over her hair, her skin and his large hands ran over her cheek.

For a second, she thought he might kiss her. The moment seemed right. It would have made sense to kiss her just now. They were in bed together, nearly naked and their faces inches apart. She was attracted to him, without a doubt, but Arthur looked troubled all the same as he held back.

"I need you to wear this." he whispered and produced a purple, silk scarf.

She hadn't noticed it when he was undressing and he must have pulled it out of his pocket when her back was turned.

"Wear it?" she questioned and he nodded.

"I'll do it." he offered and the feel of the silk swept over her face.

"Arthur, what-" she asked as he used the scarf to blindfold her.

"We have a purpose tonight." he told her as he secured her blindfold in place and her world was in darkness. The blindfold was large enough to cover most of her head and left her mouth free for breathing.

"The blindfold will make things less intimate; less complicated." he told her as her hands went up to her face and tried to remove it.

She felt his hands, strong and capable over her's preventing her from tearing it off.

"So we can't see each other?" she asked.

She found the idea insulting. She had expected a night of awkward sex, surely, but this was too strange. He couldn't see her face, she couldn't see him at all.

"Am I that ugly you don't want to look at me?" she asked and her hand went up to the blindfold again.

"This is how it's done here."

His hands prevented her from taking off the blindfold again.

"How it's always done?" she asked skeptically.

"Yes. Don't take it off till I say."

"I want to see you." she said and reached out for him. "This is really strange."

She felt him take her hand and kiss her inner wrist. The feel of his lips on her flesh sent little shivers of delight through her.

"This is how it has to be." he said.

She felt him move over her then and instinctively clutch the bedding tighter to her chest.

Arthur seemed unphased by this however as he uncovered her lower half and his hands found what he wanted.

"Wait!" Ariadne said in sudden alarm as his large fingers moved between her legs and easily separated them. This was happening too fast. She wasn't ready.

"It's alright." he assured her. "Lay back down."

She hadn't realized she had sat up. Her top half still covered as he fondled her lower half. His long, steady fingers tracing circles over her panties. Tickling the sensitive flesh underneath.

"Arthur?" she whispered worryingly as she clutched the bedsheets tighter to her.

He hadn't bothered to kiss her or expose any other part of her body. His only focus was between her legs as he suddenly stripped off her panties.

She gasped and covered her chest with her arms as she felt his fingers probing her. It wasn't exactly uncomfortable, her body responded to his touch, but the whole thing felt awkward.

It felt like a stranger was touching her. Someone she couldn't see or could know anything about, only feel.

"Arthur, talk to me. Please?" she whispered as she felt him rub and stimulate her.

"It's alright. I won't hurt you." he told her.

She bit her lip hard as she felt him rub her harder and her hips started to move in time with his hand.

"Are you ready?" he asked at last.

"I..." she cried out in fear and want. "I don't know." she admitted as his hands, warm and strong kept after her sex with their torments.

She wanted to snap her legs shut as she felt him move over her and his body shift between her legs. She expect him to lay on top of her. Wasn't that normal? Instead, he kneeled over her. He didn't touch her any more than he had to as he fingered and rubbed her till she knew she was ready.

She felt him then. Felt the largeness of his member threatening to enter her.

She took a deep breath as she knew it was about to happen. She felt him shove himself in as hard and a deep as he could.

"Ouch!" she cried out as it was too far. His enlarged manhood penetrating too deeply.

"It's alright." he whispered as she clutched the bedding tighter to her body. Grateful for the barrier.

"It hurts." she hissed at him as he started rocking inside her.

This was uncomfortable. The hard pounding as he kept his hands off her body and she refused to uncover her breasts. Instead, she kept herself covered as best she could as her body was impaled and ridden like she was a horse.

Arthur kept his body off hers and that didn't help the feeling that he wanted nothing to do with her except for the joining of only the necessary body parts.

For a long time it seemed to go on like this. It felt almost like a violation as she was no longer in the mood. No longer enjoying this. It was demeaning and strange to have sex like this and she didn't like it.

Her body no longer wanted to comply to his and she felt herself try to push him away as she tried to keep herself covered.

"Don't." she cried feebly as his movements kept going as she was forced to take all of him. His hands were pushing hers away as she tried to find a more comfortable position and couldn't.

"Stay still!" he growled as he felt him pound her faster.

He was grunting like an animal as her fucked her now. It wasn't anything more than that. Her body was being used, that was all.

All she could do now was hope it would end soon.

Then it was over. He let out a long groan and she felt his ridged member soften. Her inner walls felt sore and she let out a hiss of pain as he finally pulled out.

"Are you okay?" he asked and she only nodded and clutched her bedding tighter.

She felt him move away from her and take a pillow off her bed.

"Raise your hips up." he ordered and she tried not to let out a sob as she complied.

He place the pillow under her hips.

"It will help with conception." he explained as he gently covered her violated lower half with the bedding once more.

She was silent as she could feel him dress and put on his shoes.

With her blindfold still on, she lay motionless as she heard him prepare to leave.

"I'll see you tomorrow night." he said and she listened for the sounds of him leaving.

She heard her front door shut, and pulled off the silk blindfold, rolled into the fetal position, and started to cry.


	6. Chapter 6

6.

~ Arthur had been staring at the same sentence in the newspaper for ten minutes. His mind was a million miles away.

Richard looked worriedly at his son.

"May I ask how things with Ariadne went last night?" the older gentleman said.

"Fine." Arthur told him grumpily being called back to reality and forced to pay attention to his breakfast and his father.

"She complied?" Richard asked.

"Yes, everything was fine." Arthur said and folded his newspaper up and looked at his grapefruit. He wasn't hungry in the slightest.

"I hope that you used the barrier." Richard said casually.

"You mean, did I blindfold her?" Arthur snapped. "I did."

Richard looked at his suddenly angry son.

"That blindfold is there for a reason, Arthur." he sighed. "It's best that the parents not become too close. You and this woman are not a couple. We are not like the outside world, we are above that. We don't believe in the fairytale of true love. We understand that sexual relations can give the illusion of love. But that is not real. The child she will give us is what we will love."

"Enough." Arthur snarled and wished he had coffee instead of decaffeinated herbal tea. "I understand why I had to hide her face. I can accept that, I just think it was a little harder on her."

"She might have been unsettled by the practice, Arthur." Richard agreed. "But it's to her interest as well. If she has no attachments to you, she won't feel as connected to the child."

"It was... it was strange last night." Arthur confessed.

Richard nodded.

"I felt like I was violating her." his son went on.

"Did she tell you to stop?" Richard ask.

"I don't think so, but her body, I could tell she didn't like it." Arthur sighed.

"This is not something we are meant to enjoy." Richard assured him.

"It can be enjoyable. It is for most people." Arthur argued.

"We are not most people." Richard said.

~ Ariadne cried for a long time after Arthur left that night.

She didn't keep her hips on the pillow as he instructed. Her fist instinct after she had sobbed herself out was to lock her front door and take a shower. She felt dirty somehow.

Even though she had agreed to this, had been glad it was Arthur and not some fat, old man who would roll on top of her, she felt like it had been some odd kind of rape.

She took a long, hot shower and re-dressed in her comfortable sweatshirt from band camp. She pulled off her bedding and changed them, she didn't want to sleep in the bed where his smell was still on the sheets.

'_It wasn't that bad_.' she told herself.

Still, in a way it was. She had been blindfolded, forced to lay still while he pounded into her like that didn't hurt. Couldn't he see she didn't like it? Couldn't he tell the way she kept her bedding held fast over her chest she wanted him to stop?

Her body felt sore, especially between her legs. Arthur had reamed her out to the point where the memory of his penetration was still inside her body.

She crawled into bed and tried not to think about it.

Somehow, she fell asleep and dreamed of happier things.

~ When she woke up, her sleepy brain had forgotten about Arthur and what they had done. A knocking was coming from her door and she threw off her covers and raced to answer it.

The young delivery man was waiting there. Her basket of fresh groceries in on hand and a square pot holding a delicate orchid in the other.

Normally roses or a mix of other flowers were sent to her daily. The orchid was an unusual, simplistic choice. It was in a pot of hard, rich soil, still alive and growing.

It was a sin to cut an orchid the way roses were cut, stuffed into a vase and decorated.

"Oh, thank you." she said and tried to run her fingers through her hair as she took the basket of groceries from him and then the flower.

"Arthur has instructed me to wait for you. He thought you might like a spa day and that I'm to escort you." the youth said.

Ariadne started as she put the flower on her entry hall table.

"Tell Arthur, no thank you." she said and slammed the door on the young man.

She didn't know why she had taken out her rage on the poor delivery man who was just doing his job. It wasn't nice or fair. But she was too angry to care just now.

She looked over the orchid. It's petals were white and in it's inner chambers, they were a delicate purple. She wondered why this had been sent instead of big, gaudy flowers.

The orchid was so simple and minimalist, she decided to place it on the mantel piece of her fire place.

~ Arthur came to see Ariadne earlier than before.

He had been informed she had rudely rebuffed his offer for a spa day and hadn't come out of her apartment all day. Not even when the girl from the spa came and asked if she wanted a massage, or her hair done.

It was then Arthur knew Ariadne was very upset. Something in him refused to give her space. Refused to let her cool off and let time ease whatever was wrong with her. No, he always confronted a problem and refused to cower to it. Refused to retreat.

He heard her feet on the hardwood floors and knew she was looking out her peep hole at him.

"Ariadne may I came in?" he asked as he saw the shadow of her feet under the door.

"I wasn't expecting you till later tonight." she said from behind the door.

"I know. May I come in?" he asked.

"You may." she said and her door stayed closed. "Later tonight."

"Ariadne." he sighed.

"I'm perfectly willing to live up to my side of the contract, this is a job after all, but I don't start work early." she said bitingly.

"I only want to talk."

"Should I get the blindfold?" she asked hatefully.

He let out a long sigh.

"I'm sorry about that." he said.

Silence.

"I really am. I... it's our way. We don't get too close to the mothers this way. We don't have the connection." he tried to explain.

"Our way? You keep talking about yourself like other people do this. No one does this." her voice came out from the closed door.

"Ariadne, please come out of that apartment and talk to me." he said. "I refuse to explain things as complicated as this to a door.

He waited a while and just when he was sure she would stay in her apartment forever, he heard a lock click and her pretty brown eyes peep out at him.

"Let's take a walk." he offered.

~ "It's our solarium." he explained as they strolled around the green house that encircled the inner park. It wasn't a typical greenhouse, more like a promenade deck that had been modified to protect plants during cold weather.

Ariadne looked over the pretty orchids that were growing there.

She felt his hand on the small of her back, leading her as they walked the corridors of the solarium.

"I have an orchid like that." she nodded at three square pots sitting away from various other types of blooms.

"Those are mine." he said and his hands delicately touched one of the other orchids. None of them were as fine or delicate as the one she had on her mantle piece.

"Yours?"

"Yes, I've been cross breeding them. It's a fascinating hobby, orchids. Genetics in general has always been interesting. You find the desired qualities you want your bloom to have, then you breed the plant you want. It took me five generations of orchids to get these." he said as he showered her the end result. The simple beauty with it's white petals and purple core.

"It's interesting." she agreed. "That's why I'm here? You said I had what you wanted in off spring."

"Very much so." he said and didn't look at her. His eyes on his orchids and he showed her his work area.

"For generations now, we have been very selective about who our children are born to. We believe our offspring is superior to outsiders. Unlike the rest of the world, our children are wanted, well cared for and educated with the knowledge that they were selected. That they are apart of something larger and more important." he explained as with expert hands, he trimmed a small orchid into place.

"So, some kind of club?" she asked.

"Some kind." he told her.

"Why the blindfold? You don't want to look at me while..." she felt her cheeks blush with shame at the fear he wasn't attracted to her.

"It's not that." he said.

"Do you not like the way I look or something?" she asked as she felt self conscious.

"One of the reasons I chose you was because of the way you look." he said and moved away from her.

She sucked in her breath and felt a warm rush of happiness as he turned to her. His eyes moving appreciatively over her.

"I think you're very beautiful." he said.

"Then why cover my face up? Why refuse to touch me?" she asked.

"It's very hard to explain, but... we find the idea of sex for pleasure to be offensive. We think copulation should only be done for the purpose of procreation." he said.

"Your religious?" she asked.

"No, far from it." he laughed. "Romance has no place in this world. It causes jealousy and hurt feelings. It takes away from what we need to do. All that we do, we do to ensure the health and vitality of our line."

"So... you hired me to help you with that?" she asked feeling confused.

"Yes. I could have had a child with any woman here that was granted the privilege of motherhood, but I wanted an outsider." he explained.

"Privilege of motherhood?" she repeated.

"Some of us, are not allowed to produce offspring. We only accept twenty mating couples a year. Hopefully twenty new babies will enter the fold in that year. Sometimes less, but never more than twenty. We want to breed, but we must be selective about it. One woman, if she is deemed worthy, can only have four children in her lifetime. No more. One man can only father four. He may do this, father children, with other women in the group. It's encouraged in fact, but four is all he is allowed." he explained.

"So, you have children? You've done this with other women? Blindfolded them and..." she swallowed hard.

"No." he said and they walked out of the greenhouse and into the park. Ariadne had never heard it before, her apartment was so high up, but the park was full of children laughing.

"When I was eighteen, I left the group. I wanted to be my own man. It was important to me. I left, made my own way and had relationships with women that... well that the group would not have agreed with." he said.

"What do you mean?" she asked as she saw children playing around a very nice playground. Mothers were watching them. All the kids looked about the same age. They all stayed together as older kids played in another group. It was like a school and they were in different grades.

"I had sex with other women for pleasure while I was on my own. It's not what I was taught to believe." he explained as they watched the kids playing from several yards away.

"So, you were taught to blindfold girls and..." she wanted to say 'rape them, hurt them' but those words didn't fit.

"I know last night was uncomfortable for you, Ariadne." he said and lead her back to the greenhouse.

"It was." she snapped.

"The blindfold is a barrier, nothing more." he explained.

"I don't like it. I'm not going to wear it again." she told him.

"You have to." he said as she pulled away from him and tried to remember how to get back to her apartment.

"Ariadne, wait." he called after her as his long legs caught up with an easy stride.

She turned on him with a fierceness he wasn't expecting.

"This is a cult." she accursed. "You bring women, brain wash them, and force them to have babies."

"Do you feel brain washed?" he asked.

She glared at him.

"If we wanted to brain wash you, would we have fed you so well? Would we have tried to mentally manipulate you? Ariadne we hired a lawyer for you to protect you and your rights. You sighed a contract to have a child for our group, you consented to sex with me last night. If this were a cult, would you have been allowed any of that? Would we have allowed you internet access or phones? Allowed you to finish school?" he asked.

She glared at him; hating him for being right. She had been treated remarkably well. Except for last night, with the blindfold and Arthur's... her body shiver at the memory of him inside her.

"I don't know if I want to do this anymore." she whispered.

Arthur looked heartbroken.

"Because of the blindfold? That was to protect us." he said in a scared voice. "We're not here to make love, Ariadne. This is how it's done here. The parents are not a couple, their bodies serve a purpose. A mother is a vessel. Her womb is sacred to us and not to be on object of infatuation or lust."

Ariadne was shaking her head. He talked like a religious nut case, but most church types didn't belong to breeding cults.

"I don't want to wear the blindfold." she said resolutely.

"Ariadne." he said.

"I'll stay, but I won't wear it any more." she said more aggressively.

He said nothing as the stillness of evening encroached on them.

"It's getting late." she sighed as they walked out of the solarium and into one of the disused grand ball rooms. "It really is lovely here. Dose you cult throw many parties?" she asked.

Arthur sensing she was teasing him smiled.

"It's not a cult, but yes, we do."

"Like the ones in that Tom Cruise movie?" she asked.

"No, we don't have orgies." he laughed and she thought she saw him blush.

"Orgies? Who said anything about orgies? I was going to ask if you've come down here in your socks and underwear and pretend to ice skate." she giggled.


	7. Chapter 7

7.

~ "Do you want to see where I live?" he asked suddenly as they rode the lift up back to her floor.

"I... um..." she fumbled. She liked being in her apartment. She enjoyed having her own turf, her own territory. It made her feel safer that way.

"It's a few more floors up, you need a special password, but if you like, I can show you around." he offered as the elegant elevator rode lazily to her floor.

"Would we stay the night? Would I leave... would I leave... um after?" she asked.

"I'll just show you around." he said noncommittally.

She nodded and watched him open a little door by the controls, entering in a password. She tried to glance at what it was, but he shut the door too quickly and the lift took them to a higher floor.

"I saw that you had three more of those same kind of orchids." she said as they watched the old fashioned needle above the doors that pointed to each floor.

"Yes." he said as they didn't look at each other.

"They're for the other mothers?" she asked. "The other children you'll have?"

"Yes." he told her.

"What if... what if you and I fail to have a baby?" she asked nervously.

"We're here." he said without answering the question.

~ Arthur's apartment made hers look like a joke. She had thought all the furnishings were so nice, the colors, the large floor plan. Arthur's apartment was a decorators dream.

Expensive leather furnishings, a large marble fire place, a gourmet kitchen and a regal view of the city below. She could see the park and the tall buildings of the city. The lights coming on and everything glittering like jewels.

"Oh." she cried out as she went to the large windows.

"I sometimes think I could spend all day here." he said and joined her at the window.

She noticed a telescope by the window.

"For looking into people's bedrooms?" she teased.

"I'm not a peeping tom, but I do like to people watch. See them coming and going." he told her as he guided her to the telescope. Under his instruction, she didn't touch the expensive equipment, but looked through it and saw the park. People were running, playing and attending outdoor theater.

"Wow." she sighed.

Arthur let her look around his place without interference. He allowed her wander from room to room as he hung back. His face seeming anxious for her approval.

"You play?" she nodded at a small alcove that housed a grand piano.

"Since I was little. Also the guitar but my father hates that. He thinks it's too common." he explained.

"Guitar." she whispered and tried not to blush. Why did she like that so much?

"Would you like me to play something for you?" he asked as his long body detached itself from the wall he had been leaning up against and strode to her.

She tried not to smile as he sat on the piano bench and she was quick to seat herself next to him. Arthur whispered a three count before he started to play.

She focused on his hands as they seemingly danced over the keys with a dexterous grace and ease she would never learn.

The music that flowed up from the piano was effortlessly beautiful. It started out as easy as breathing and carried a lovely melody. Ariadne never knew how much she like piano music until she heard him play the modern classical piece.

Then, his hands went still and the music stopped. The piano was once more just a piece of wood and strings. Silent as ever. The acoustics in the apartment carrying the last echo of the notes as he shut the lid.

"You're very good." she whispered

"Thank you." he said. "My mother," he cleared his throat as if it were painful. "She played very well. Or so I'm told."

"You never knew her?" Ariadne asked.

"No. She wasn't apart of our group. After I was born, she had fulfilled her contract, and she left." he explained.

"She was an outsider." Ariadne concluded. "Like me."

They sat in silence for a long time as she she felt a dark pain grown inside her.

~ "Your apartment was lovely." she told him as he walked her back to her place.

"I would have asked you to stay, but it's not really our way." he explained.

"To have a girl over?" she asked as she unlocked her front door and let them inside.

"No, not really." he said with an embarrassed smile.

Arthur looked around her apartment and saw the orchid he had sent sitting comfortably on the mantle piece.

"So, you like it?" he asked.

"It really is lovely." she told him as she saw he was noticing it. "You do very good work."

"Thank you." he said as she caught him blushing again.

"So you grew up here? With no mother?" she asked.

"I never knew the woman who gave birth to me. I know she was chosen for her intelligence and talents." he explained as they avoided looking at one another.

"Do you ever think about her?" she asked. "I mean, when you were little, you must have needed her."

"I had my father. I had the group. We were taken care of." he assured her.

"Still, it must have been hard." she sighed.

~ Arthur knew better than to say anything. Any acknowledgment of how difficult his childhood had been, might make Ariadne no longer want to stay here.

"I think it's time again, Ariadne." he said at long last.

He saw her eyes grow larger as she stepped away from him.

"I told you, I won't wear the blindfold. I didn't like it." she told him.

"I blindfolded you for a reason. This is just about our bodies, nothing else." he said.

"No."

"Ariadne." he let out a long sigh.

"I won't wear it." she said. "We can have the light off." she offered.

"We have to have the blindfold." he insisted. "It helps with the temptation." and realized he had said too much.

"What temptation?" she asked.

He rolled his eyes upward.

"Last night, I wanted to be with you... in a more intimate way. I wanted to kiss you and... hold you, do all the things that outsiders do. But you are not here for that. The blindfold reminds us that we are not lovers, we are just here to make a baby. Nothing else." he told her.

"You hurt me last night." she accused.

He looked back at her in surprise.

"I... I did?" he asked

"Yes, you were rough and you didn't... comfort me the way that I was used to." she said.

"I asked you... I asked if you were okay." he said.

"I was okay. But it hurt, and I didn't like it." she told him. "I felt... used."

Arthur didn't know what to say.

"I'm sorry, Ariadne." he said after a while.

"I don't want to wear the blindfold." she whispered.

"I wish you didn't have to." he whispered back.


	8. Chapter 8

8.

~ She was in her bed, already naked when he arrived to take her. Like last night, her bedding covered her body as he took his time to slip off his shoes and shirt.

He felt her watching him with her eyes as large as a frightened rabbit. Her could hear her breathing pick up.

He saw the blindfold, the purple silk scarf laying on her night stand.

He stripped himself of his shirt and gently took the scarf.

"Arthur." she whispered as he regretted sticking to the rules so firmly.

He was about to cover her face up again with the scarf when he hesitated.

She looked scared.

"Did I really hurt you last night?" he asked.

"It wasn't nice." she said sadly and looked at him.

He wasn't sure what to say as her hands took the scarf from him and pulled it to her.

He watched as she neatly covered her eyes and most of her face. Making her just an object, just a body for him to use.

Gone was the sweet girl he had given one of his prized orchids to. The one who could sketch so well and who looked at him with those fine eyes he found so appealing.

She laid back in the bed as if laying in her coffin. Her covers over her chest as her arms wrapped around her waist. Effectively creating a border he was not allowed to cross.

She was breathing heavily, and he knew she was frightened.

He felt a strange sense of power as he climbed into bed with her. His body growing excited at seeing her like this. A beauty of a woman, blindfolded and there for him to have.

The idea that he would take her, fill her body up with his seed made his blood race hot.

"It's alright." he whispered as he leaned over and kissed her lips.

"Arthur?" she mewed and lifted her head up for more.

"Lay back down." he ordered.

She bit her lower lip and held the covers to her chest tighter.

With slow, agonizing pleasure, he touched her.

His hands feeling the silk of her skin that was her legs, her thighs and finally uncovering what he most needed from her.

Her womanhood was no different than any others, but he wanted it more that he wanted anything else. That primal urge seized him again as his fingers stroked her labia and penetrated her.

Ariadne silently complied to him as she spread her legs wider to him.

The beast inside him liked that. He liked that she was willing to be taken.

It bothered him a little that she hadn't enjoyed their first mating. He had wanted it to be good, but he couldn't fight the animal nature of what she was here for.

That they were no better than animals just now. That she was here for him to breed with. That he would take her, his manhood would fill her up so well that she would conceive and have his child growing inside her.

This is what the sacred texts always spoke of. That feeling of power in creating life. He finally understood it. Finally felt his place in the group.

His manhood was rock hard as he rubbed and stroked her with one hand, himself with the other. Ariadne was panting and he thought he heard a moan escape her beautiful lips as her desire bloomed with want.

He felt her natural lubricant on his hands as he rubbed her to a frenzy.

She shifted under him and her hands wandered between her legs, pushing his own hand in deeper. Happily, he complied as the bedding slipped off her body and he was granted a view of her breasts.

She tried to cover herself, but he snatched the blanket away.

"I want to see you." he growled, in a voice he didn't recognize, as her hips moved in time with his hands on her.

"Arthur?" she whimpered as her arms tried to cover her breasts.

"Put your hands to your side." he ordered.

She seemed to debate his command before giving in.

"Be gentle, please?" she breathed.

"I will." he promised effortlessly. "I'll... I'll try."

He looked down at his enlarged member. Last night, as strange as things had been, his maleness had never gotten so large, tonight, it was just as big.

His blood was biting him to take her. Demanding to be buried inside her till his life force flowed out.

"I..." he panted as his body took over and he was no longer in control of what he did.

Her sweet, wet opening beckoned to him and he didn't resist as his member found a home there and her passage pulled him in.

He gave into temptation by collapsing on to her as she let out a small cry of discomfort.

"It's alright." the beast within him growled.

"Arthur?" the sweet girl's voice came out of the purple scarf.

'_Don't_.' his mind told him. 'Don't think of her as Ariadne. She's not here for that. She's here for...' he thought started to rock inside her.

He lost himself then to the feel of her soft skin, the way her hair smelled, the rhythm of pumping and pushing himself as hard as he could till she let out a cry of pain and tried to push him away.

"I'm sorry, he panted as he slowed his movements down.

This was sex better than he had ever known. This was freedom, this was what he was always meant to do. His body joined with hers was bliss, his completion was close and he would fill her to bursting with his life force. She would grow large and ripe with his child. He would see her and know that he put that life inside her.

He felt himself come like a tsunami wave. He couldn't stop it as he held her close and she moaned and gasped under him.

"Arthur, more please." she panted as he felt his seed slip out.

He wasn't a man who used profanities, but he used them now as he stripped off the blindfold and saw her beautiful face as he came inside her.

Ariadne, beautiful Ariadne looked back at him. She was no longer a body for him to use. No longer a sacred vessel to carry his child. She was just... Ariadne.

She looked at him with those confused eyes of her as he stayed inside her. His work done as he felt himself soften.

They were both breathing hard and he noticed she was crying.

"Did I hurt you?" he managed to weakly ask.

She sniffed and shook her head.

"I... I tired to be more gentle." he said lamely.

"You were." she told him.

He couldn't stop looking at her face as he realized they were both naked and in bed together. He suddenly remembered his training and took a pillow from beside her.

"Your hips." he whispered.

She nodded and rubbed her eyes with the back of her hand as he placed the pillow under her bottom. Hopefully, gravity would help his seed find her better and they could conceive.

He knew he should have left her then. But he stayed and kept looking at that face for a long time.

"Promise me I didn't hurt you." he demanded.

"You didn't." she said with a small smile. "Why did you take the blindfold off? I thought you had rules."

"Rules." Arthur said sourly.

He was so satiated, so content, he rolled on top of her and started to kiss her.

~ Over and over he kissed her till she felt her head start to spin.

"What... what about..." she said weakly as she felt herself grow warm and ready for another round. Her hips bucked up against him as his breath tickled her skin.

Why was she protesting this? Wasn't this what she really wanted? Arthur, handsome, mysterious Arthur, taking her with such passion.

It was if they were in love.

~ Ariadne woke up feeling happy and refreshed the next morning. She rolled over expecting Arthur to be there, and found his side of the bed was empty.

She clutched the bedding to her naked body and looked around. His clothing was gone and her home smelled of something wonderful cooking.

She didn't bother to put something on as she fitted her sheet like a toga around her body and went to find Arthur.

Last night with him had been leagues better. She had been a little worried when he still wanted her to wear the blindfold and uncovered her body completely to him, but the moment he fell on top of her, things had been different.

He was still brutal and took her without apology, but this time it felt more intimate. His body, his flesh, melted with hers as she wrapped her arms around him and took each unforgiving thrust.

She wasn't sure what had come over him last night, or the night before, but she was surprised she liked it so much.

Arthur was a different man in her bed. By day, he was polite and a perfect gentleman, but at night, seized with the mating urge, he transformed.

She found him in her bright kitchen, cooking contentedly and wearing the same clothes he had on yesterday.

"Morning." she said groggily.

Her lover turned and gave her and shy smile.

"I wanted to make sure you ate something before I left for the day." he said.

"I thought you would have left me last night." she yawned as he handed her a plate. The delicious smell of a cheese omelet greeted her.

"I feel asleep." he sighed.

"So did I." she confessed. "You cook?" she tried to laugh as she took a fork from her drawer.

"I do." he told her. "Didn't have time to get dressed I see."

"It's my apartment, I'll wear a sheet if I want to." she told him with a mischievous grin.

Arthur poured her a glass of orange juice and ordered her to drink.

She felt herself blush as their eyes met and he looked away.

"Last night." she said simply.

"Last night." he agreed.

"It was nice." she told him as she drank the orange juice.

"I agree."

"I liked the end." she told him with a knowing smile.

"You mean when we fell asleep?" he said as he whisked another omelet.

"No, where you took of my blindfold and kissed me." she told him and tried to focus on eating her eggs.

"Oh, that." Arthur said casually.

"It was nice."

"I agree." he said.

"Are you mad at me?" she asked worriedly.

"Not at all." he said too quickly. "It's just... we might be getting too close. After last night, I think we need to stick to the rules better."

"No more kissing?" she asked sadly.

"No more kissing. No more dinners or anything like that. I need to come here, you need to be ready and then we do what we have to. I need to leave as soon as it's done." he said.

"What needs to be done." she said sadly. "With the blindfold." she added.


	9. Chapter 9

9.

~ If she hadn't felt so good that morning, Ariadne would have been angry at him.

He stayed for breakfast, making sure she ate the eggs for their protein and the fresh squeezed orange juice for its vitamins. He even made her eat of the fruit and nut bread the shop sent to her each day.

"My body isn't used to all this health food." she tried to laugh as Arthur refused to look at her while they ate. He seemed to want to keep his distance from her. Not wanting to get too close or engage her in too much conversation.

"It's not health food, it's just food. We don't partake of the garbage the rest of the world eats. As a result, we don't have many health problems here." he told her.

"Are all your babies born healthy?" she asked. She was curious about the world Arthur and his people lived in, but knew finding out about them was like stepping on a lake of frozen ice. One wrong step, would close forever any information.

"Most of them, yes. Our mothers are always between the ages of 23 and 33. A good age for child bearing." he said and she nodded.

"What about birth defects? Down syndrome or things like that?" she asked.

Arthur looked at her and she shrank back.

"We screen out people carefully for that kind of thing, just as you were screened and tested." he said coolly. "Anyone who would pass that kind of trait down, would not be allowed to breed."

"So, even if they wanted children, they couldn't?" she asked. "They have a right to a child of their own."

"Not in our group." he told her stubbornly.

"What if our baby is born with a defect?" she asked. "What happens then?"

He looked at her coldly and she shrugged.

"I mean, there is no assurance that it will be born healthy, or develop problems later on." she told him.

"If that were the case, if our offspring was not... desirable." he said the last word as if it pained him. "Then, I would reject it."

"What do you mean, reject it?" she hissed. "What would you do?"

"The child would be cared for in an off sight location. A group home that cares for the mentally challenged or a nursing home for young people if there is a physical challenge." he said.

"Wait." she breathed and tried to collect her thoughts. "So, if the baby is born with sever mental challenges, you would reject it and put it in some place?"

"Ariadne." he sighed.

"How could you do that?" she cried and stood.

Arthur's hand was on her wrist in an instant.

"Ariadne, we will do testing on the fetus to ensure it's healthy before it's born." he assured her. "There is no reason to think you and I won't produce a perfect child. We're both young, healthy and have no history of those problems in our family."

"Arthur, what if-"

"What if the earth fell off it's axis and crashed into the sun?" he said and guided her back to her seat. "You are worrying about things too much. Worry is not good for you. Now is the time when you need to stay relaxed and happy. I shouldn't have even told you about any of this since it won't affect us. The reality is, we haven't had to do that in at least a decade."

Her mind was full of worry now as she couldn't shake the idea of her child, abandoned by her and Arthur in some kind of filthy asylum.

"Ariadne." Arthur cut into her thoughts. "I don't want you to worry about this. We're going to keep you healthy and stress free and you'll give us a wonderful child."

~ Arthur made her an appointment with a yoga instructor that morning which, he said would help with blood flow to her reproductive organs. The yogi came to her apartment and guided Ariadne through a lot of leg stretches while Arthur was... wherever he went to during the day.

The the massage therapist was next. She came to her door and then the manicure pedicure people came as soon as the massage was done.

By five o'clock, Ariadne had her legs waxed, her hair done, new make, new clothes and she felt thoroughly relaxed and spoiled.

There were no price tags on her new clothes which she had been needing badly. No discussion of bills for the yoga or the other wonderful luxuries. All that was said was that Arthur had told them come, and not to worry.

She had almost forgotten the worry over birth defects and wondered what to make for dinner when she remembered he would not be coming for a meal tonight. He would only be here to have sex with her and then leave. Nothing else.

Well, she would see about that.

~ She was feeling very good after being with Arthur last night, the yoga today, the massage and being pampered. She greedily wanted her body spoiled more.

One of her new outfits required a camisole under it. It was expensive silk in that was totally see through without a proper layer underneath. Ariadne stood naked in her bedroom and slipped the sheer off white top over her head. She looked in her full length mirror, and admired the effect. The top was meant to be billowy and long. It barely covered her bottom as she inspected the fact it hid nothing.

A pleased little smile came to her face at what Arthur would think when she answered the door in this.

'_No sex for pleasure, huh?_' she thought '_Lets see how that will work tonight._'

~ Arthur had a horrible day. He couldn't get her out of his head. Three times, he had caught himself day dreaming about her when he was at a work related meeting and then at dinner with his father.

"I would have thought you would have dinner with Ariadne. She's all alone in that apartment." Richard said.

"I had people keeping her busy." Arthur grumbled.

"How are things going between you?" Richard asked.

"Fine." Arthur said.

"Is she adapting?"

"I'm not going to talk to you about my sex life." Arthur said.

"I'm not asking you to. Do you think she might want to come into the group?" Richard asked.

Arthur sat up a little straighter.

"Come into the group?" he asked.

"Yes, after the baby is born, she could stay and be it's mother is she wished. She would have to take another man in a year or so, naturally. Give birth again, but she wouldn't have to give the babies up." Richard said. "We understand it's hard for mothers to part with a child they carried for so long inside them."

"Ariadne doesn't want to be a mother." Arthur said.

"Right now, she doesn't." Richard said.

"She only wants the money." Arthur told him.

"Does the fact she would be with another man, have another man's child, upset you?" Richard asked.

"No, of course not." Arthur said.

"Because you two are not in love, Arthur. You are to use her body just as she is to use your body. Nothing more." his father growled.

Arthur stood up.

"It's late. I need to go see her." Arthur said curtly.

~ He knocked on Ariadne's door. He had hoped she had a relaxing day today. It would make things easier tonight. All that talk about children born with birth defects and other problems was very upsetting. He wasn't sure what he would do if such a thing happened. In his heart of hearts, he knew he would never reject a child he had made with her. No matter the problem, he would claim it as his.

His mind was still thinking over these sober thoughts, when her door opened and he almost stopped breathing.

She was naked except for a see through shirt that concealed nothing. He could see the hues of her nipples and the dark crop of hair between her legs.

"I was expecting you earlier." she said breezily as she opened the door to him.

She acted like she was perfectly dressed as he followed her into her living room and she waved as the leather sofa.

"I've still got something in the dryer." she said lightly. "It will be a few minutes, so have a seat. Can I get you some water?" she asked as he couldn't stop looking at her exposed breasts through her top.

"What?" he asked stupidly and she gave him a warm smile. He hadn't been listening to anything she had said. Something about water, and a dryer... and he was staring at her again.

"I wanted to thank you for the yoga and everything you sent me today. I feel much better." she said as she went into her kitchen and raided the fridge.

Whatever she said, he didn't hear as he was fixated on her bottom. She had turned away from him and he noticed her buttocks was round and perfect.

His breathing came hard as she brought him a bottled water. That see though top riding high on her hip and exposed her naked body underneath even more.

"Ariadne." he growled as he felt light headed.

"We don't have to go to bed. We can do it right here." she said brightly.

"Ariadne, what... what are you doing?"

"You told me to be ready for when you come to see me tonight." she said simply.

She looked down at herself.

"I'm ready." she added with a little smile.

"I..." he started to say and then untwisted the top of his water and took a long sip.

She watched him drink as he looked at her body.

As soon as he had drained his water bottle dry, she gently pushed him to sit on the sofa. His lean body falling gracefully down as he allowed this small woman to command him. She was on her knees in front of him, a crafty smile on her face.

"What are... what..." he swallowed hard as her nimble hands were unzipping his pants.

He shifted to allow her to pull them down and relaxed in the comfortable leather of the couch. He knew what was she was about to do. This kind of thing had happened to him before and he had loved it. When he had left the group as a teenager, he had been with other women. Women who knew how to pleasure him in ways he had never been taught, or had any idea existed. His education in carnal love had been intense and powerful, but this was not the groups way. Oral copulation...

He let our a low moan as her hands wrapped around his member and her breath tickled the sensitive skin.

He wasn't as hard as he normally was, but he was getting there at a pace that frightened him.

"Ariadne, this..." he gasped as his fingers laced in her hair and he pulled her head closer to his throbbing erection. "This isn't our way... we... we..." he realized he was trying to argue why she shouldn't do this. But for the life of him, he couldn't think of a reason why they shouldn't always do this.

Her watched as his member vanished into her mouth as if she were starving and his manhood was a sumptuous banquette.

Her large eyes locked with his as she licked and teased him, her mouth gobbling him again as her nails lightly traced over the sensitive skin of his shaft.

"We..." he panted as he wanted her to never stop.

He sensed she was smiling as she sucked him harder and slow. His fingers holding fast to her dark hair as he never wanted to let her go.

His completion came on strong and he almost let himself climax in her mouth.

"Stop!" he ordered and pulled her back by her hair so that his enlarged shaft almost popped out of her mouth in a comical thud.

She looked at him curiously as he held her by her hair and tried to calm himself.

The cool air on his member felt wonderful after her warm, wet mouth had been on him. He glared angrily at his lover. A mother, she was being groomed to carry his child and she was acting like a common whore just now.

"Stand up!" he ordered angrily as he pulled her by her hair.

"Owe! Arthur!" she shouted and tried to protect her hair from being ripped out.

"What do you think you're doing?" he asked as he guided her to the bedroom. His ridged member making it difficult to walk as he loved how flushed and beautiful she looked in the sheer top with nothing under it. Her lips still red from having him in her mouth.

"What did it feel like I was doing?" she challenged.

"You were acting like an outsider." he accused. "We don't do those things."

"You didn't exactly stop me." she told him.

He leaned away from her as they glared at one another.

"You will never answer the door to me in this thing again." he ordered.

"It's my home, I'll answer the door any way I please." she told him curtly.

His hands were on the sheer top in an instant.

"Don't!" she screamed as he tore it off her.

"Now you can't wear it." he told her as he still healed fast to her hair.

"Arthur!" she screamed and slapped at him. His large, capable hands catching hers as their 'fight' felt more like foreplay than anything else. He was growing more excited to see the defiant look in her eyes, than he was to have his member vanish in her mouth.

"Put the blindfold on." he commanded.

"No!" she shouted and tried to get away as he held fast to her hair.

He knew he wasn't hurting her. She looked as if she had more control of the situation than he did just now. She didn't look afraid or worried as she gave a feeble struggle and he returned with...

"Owe!" she cried like a child. "You spanked me!"

He let go of her hair, his hand stinging slightly a this lovely, naked nymph stared at him in shock. Her hands cupping the buttock he had so firmly swatted.

"Get in the bed." he ordered.


	10. Chapter 10

10.

~ Ariadne felt a raw rush of power as she backed away from Arthur.

"No." she told him as she watched him stoke his member. He looked angry, but she knew she had control of him.

"I... I said..." he whispered breathlessly. "Get in the bed."

She bit her lip to keep from smiling.

'_Victory_.' she thought as she slipped off her ripped top and backed away from him.

She sensed the bed was close, but didn't break eye contact with the man who would ravish her in a few moments. She didn't want to break the hold she had on him, he would attack her then. She had to keep him in line.

She crawled backwards into the bed and rested her head on the pillows. Her legs spread as wide as she could get them so that he could she the wetness that had started. Her fingers and hands starting to tease her swollen sex bud as Arthur glared at her. His breathing picking up as he looked angry.

She gave him an inviting smile as she watched him slowly work his shaft. She shouldn't have been so surprised at how large he was. She had felt every inch of him before, but seeing him, rock hard and knowing what he would do with it, made her a little afraid.

"I almost came in your mouth before." he said hostility and he crawled into bed with her. His erection full as he watched her play with herself.

"Why didn't you?" she asked as she liked the feel of her own fingers touching herself.

"Let me do that." he whispered as she felt his strong hands take over. The feel of another persons fingers on her desire nearly made her cry out in pleasure.

"Because I would never spill my seed in your mouth." he said as she felt her body spasm and she tried tried not to come.

"Arthur." she panted as she griped his arm. The feel of his expensive suit on her naked body was so forbidden.

"I would never waste it that way." he added as she wanted him to touch her more.

"Take me..." she gasped as she fought off another orgasm. His fingers were making lazy circles around her clitoris and she couldn't stand it anymore.

"Please, Arthur. Do it!" she screamed.

"What makes you think you deserve it?" he growled as she wanted more of him. "The way you acted tonight? If I wanted a whore, I wouldn't have had you here."

"Arthur, please!" she cried.

He either had pity on her, or this was her next wave of punishment. He pulled away, unzipped his pants and impaled her so savagely, she screamed.

He was fond of penetrating her as fully as possible, of getting his manhood as close to her womb as he could, and he did so now.

She tried not to move as his hardness had her debilitated under him. His body felt perfect as he lay on top of her, and his lips soothed her skin with kisses.

"Oh... oh you feel good." she breathed as she relished in the feel of him buried inside her.

Arthur looked different when he made love. His face was softer, more vulnerable now as he started to ride her. His large hands touched her everywhere as he made her body feel beautiful. He cupped her breasts, sucked her nipples and when he was about to come, he grabbed her by the hips and forced himself in farther.

"Be gentle!" she squealed as he forced her to orgasm for a second time.

He ignored her as she knew he had come. Her lover barely able to hide it as he fell on top of her, red faced and trying to catch his breath.

~ She woke up to him kissing her sometime in the night. He was politely asking for more as she was still groggy from sleep.

"Ariadne?" he whispered as he was guiding her hand to his already enlarged member.

"Again?" she whispered, still feeling half asleep as he did most of the work. She felt him touch her again, felt his lips on her nipples before he mounted her and gave her a few thrusts that felt more like a massage than sex. Soon, he was calm again and pulled her exhausted body into his arms for sleep.

~ She woke up fully expecting him to be gone, or in the kitchen. But her lover was sleeping so deeply, he was snoring. She felt a rush of affection for him at that moment. Last night had been wonderful and he had stayed with her.

"Arthur?" she whispered as she ran her hands over his bare chest.

He snorted and was too groggy to wake up.

"Arthur, it's getting late." she started to kiss his neck.

"Ariadne?" he asked.

"Yes." she said with a grin.

"What did you do to me?" he groaned.

~ She roused herself out of bed and took a shower as he tried to get dressed. She was sore all over, but wasn't sure if that was from the yoga or the intense sex with Arthur.

"So, will you come tonight?" she asked him as he gave her a plate of fruit and more bread.

"I'm not sure." he said sadly.

"Why not?"

He let out a deep sigh.

"I'm starting to think..." he said and looked at her.

"That this is a bad idea." she finished.

"Yes."

"I've been having some second thoughts to." she whispered.

"About having a baby with me or giving it up?" he asked.

"Both." she said as she nibbled the apple slices. "What if, when the time comes, I couldn't do it?"

Arthur said nothing.

"I mean, I can't take care of a baby on my own." she reasoned.

A part of her expected him to tell her she wouldn't be on her own. That he would take care of her, but he remained silent.

"I've been told to ask if you would want to join our group. Always assuming you would become pregnant and produce a desirable offspring." he asked.

"Join?" she repeated.

"Yes." he said. "You would have the baby, but you would be it's mother. You would have a home here, and you and the child would be provided for."

"There's always a catch." she whispered.

"You would have other children, just not by me. It's not our way to be with only one partner for breeding. It's one of the reasons I blindfolded you. It was a mistake to become so close to you." he told her.

She blinked back tears as his words hurt her.

"Arthur." she said breathlessly. "I don't think I want to do this anymore."

~ "What do you mean she's changed her mind?" Richard barked at his son.

"It may be for the best." Arthur argued. "You were right, she's an outsider."

"An outsider who may very well already be pregnant." Richard snapped. "We've been lacing that artisan bread she eats with fertility drugs."

Arthur nodded. He knew the ways of the group. Knew that conception was all they cared about.

"We can give her a pregnancy test, and send her on her way." Arthur offered.

"What then?" Richard huffed. "What about you?"

"I'll find someone else. This time within the group."

"You care about that girl." Richard accused after watching his son for several seconds.

"Dad." Arthur sighed.

"You do. Did you even use the blindfold?" he asked.

"We did. But, I don't think she realized all she would be giving up to do this." Arthur said.

~ "So, in a few days, a week a most, we will know if you're pregnant or not." Arthur explained as they walked through the solarium that evening.

"In the meantime, I have to stay here? I can't leave at all?" she questioned.

"I'm afraid not. It's in your contract." he told her. "Once we're sure your not pregnant, we can let you go."

"Will I be able to keep the good faith money you gave me?" she asked.

She hated to sound so selfish. Only caring about the money, but it was all she had just now.

"Yes." he told her. "What will you do once you're free?"

"Drop out of school for a little while, get a job." she sighed.

"You won't go back to school if you drop out now." he said sadly.

"What choices would I have?" she told him.

"You have choices. The original plan. You could finish school and be debt free while living here." he told her.

"I've been thinking a lot about this today, Arthur." she admitted.

"And?"

"And, I don't think I could give a baby up. I don't want to have a child, I'm not ready. But I don't think I could have a baby and then abandon it." she admitted.

"The child would be well taken care of. I would be in it's life." he offered.

"_I_ need to be in it's life." she said stubbornly.

"What about joining our group?" he asked.

"And have four different children with four different men? Watch as you father other babies with other women? It would drive me insane." she laughed.

"It's why we have the blindfold." Arthur said.

I should have kept it on." she agreed sadly. "It wouldn't be so difficult now."

"We'll have to wait to make sure your not pregnant, then," he let out a deep sigh. "Then, you'll be on your way."

"I'm sorry, Arthur." she told him.

~ A week passed. Arthur didn't come to see her anymore. He sent her gifts of massages, yoga instructors and little notes attached to flowers reminding her to eat right, just in case.

She missed him. She had only been with him three times, and had only known him for a few weeks, but he was her only friend here and she was lonely.

'_Would it be so bad?_' she wondered as she packed her new clothes in preparation to leave. Arthur had said she could take everything with her. The good faith money, the clothing and furniture. She would find a modest apartment and get a job. Worry about school later. In any case, she was better off than she was when she came here.

~ As she was packing, a knock on her door brought her back to reality.

"Arthur!" she whispered excitedly. She knew he wouldn't leave without saying goodbye.

She raced to the door and was shocked to see a plump little Indian man waiting for her with a black doctor's bag.

"You must be Ariadne." he said in a pleasing accent.

"Yes?" she said.

"I am Dr. Yuseff." he gave her a little bow. "May I come in?" he asked and she nodded.

"I am here, as apart of your contract, to ensure you are not with child." he explained as he sat his bag on her entry hall table and opened it.

"Oh, I'm sure I'm not." she tried to laugh. It had only been a week and she and Arthur were only together a few times.

"Your last period was when?" he asked.

"The 15th." she told him.

"So you are two days late." he concluded.

"It happens." she shrugged.

"Will you please take this into the bathroom and, if you can, provide a sample?" he asked.

Ariadne gaped at the pregnancy test he gave her.

"I'm sure I'm not." she wanted to laugh.

It was a simple drug store kit. She half expected this place to have state of the art tests.

"Please, humor me." Yuseff said politely as he waited.

She nodded and went to her bathroom. It was a simple test of peeing on a stick.

'_I can't be._' she thought worriedly. '_I've got it all worked out. Arthur and I are going to part as friends, and I'll get a job and an apartment and not have to worry about this again._'

She put the cap back on the stick after flushing and came back to Yuseff.

"What now?" she asked.

"We wait for the results." he said calmly.

"What if I am pregnant?" she asked. Her arms crossing over her chest.

"Then, your contract will come into play." he told her.

"So, I'll stay here and have the baby and... and then give it up?" she asked.

'_Please be negative, please be negative, please be negative._' she prayed.

"Yes." he said simply.

"Well." she laughed nervously. "I'm sure it's negative."

"You're pregnant." Yuseff said holding up the stick with a positive sign.


	11. Chapter 11

11.

~ Ariadne tried to stay calm as Yuseff examined her at his little office that was also the clinic for the Demeter.

"Second pregnancy test has come back positive." he concluded as he concluded the exam. "It's still early, but there is no reason to think you won't give birth to a healthy child in November."

"It's still early." she breathed. "So, I mean... there's still time to terminate?"

Yuseff looked at her in alarm.

"Why would you want to do that?" he asked and scribbled in her chart.

"I've changed my mind, I don't want to have a baby." she pleaded as she sat up on the exam table.

"You've signed a contact." he told her.

"No, I can't... please. I can't have it, and then abandon it."

"A lot of mothers feel this way. You will hardly be abandoning it." Yuseff said soothingly. "There is a wonderful couple, already selected. Also, Arthur will be highly involved in the child's upbringing."

"But if I stay, I'll be able to be it's mother?" she asked hopefully.

"They have offered you a place here already?" Yuseff asked.

"I think so, I mean, not really." she said meekly. "But, but I'm not sure I'm ready to be a mom." she cried.

"It's going to be alright." Yuseff told her soothingly.

~ Arthur got a text message from Yuseff just as the doctor was about to start Ariadne's exam. One word flashed on his phone.

_Positive_.

He almost ran to the elevators that would take him to the little hide away clinic. By the time he arrived, Yuseff was finishing the exam.

"How is she?" he breathed as the doctor came out alone, with Ariadne's chart.

"Uneasy." Yuseff said. "She doesn't want to have it, but doesn't want to give it up. It's understandable, I've seen it before."

"But she's alright? The baby's alright?" Arthur asked.

"Of course. I recommend you stay with her, or hire a nurse for the next few months."

"Why?" Arthur asked.

"She made a comment about terminating the pregnancy. I'll send one of my staff to her apartment to remove anything she could use to do it herself with. Coat hangers, bike spokes, that sort of thing." he said.

Arthur cringed at the idea of such barbarism.

"She said she wanted to terminate?" he asked Yuseff weakly.

"Mentioned it as an option." the doctor confessed.

"It's not. It's not an option." Arthur told him coldly.

"I know. The group would never stand for it." Yuseff told him.

The doctor nodded to the door.

"I'm sure she wants to see you." he said. "Try to be comforting. She's very scared."

~ Arthur watched Ariadne for several seconds before she noticed he was there.

"Arthur?" she said as tears rimmed her eyes and started to fall. "Arthur, I was packing. I was getting ready to leave, because we agreed not to do this after all." she sobbed as he went to her. His arms wrapped around her as she buried her face in his chest.

"Then he made me take a test and..." she let out a sob. "And it came back positive."

"Ariadne." he said soothingly. "This is what we wanted. What we agreed to." he told her.

"I know, but we changed our minds." she argued.

"Ariadne, it's done. You're pregnant now and we have to deal with it." he told her as she pulled away from him.

"No, I can't." she said. "I was only thinking of the money. I... I can't have a baby and leave it to be raise by strangers. I'm not ready to be a mom either. My own parents were a disaster, I don't know how."

"Let's talk about it at my place." he told her.

~ Ariadne allowed Arthur to take her back to his apartment and put her to bed.

Yuseff gave him a strong herbal tea to prepare for her. It would calm her down without harming the baby she now carried.

"You need to try and rest." Arthur whispered after she drank the tea he had made for her.

She nodded numbly as she slipped off her shoes and pants, crawling into his bed the way a child would.

She liked the feel of his sheets. They smelled of nice, clean things. Of masculine soaps and expensive Egyptian cotton.

"I'm not sleepy." she said petulantly as Arthur covered her up.

"Try and rest than." he whispered.

"I just can't..." she manged to get out before drifting off to sleep.

~ Arthur must have checked on her a dozen times as she slept. Her sleep was so deep, he was worried the herbal tea might have been too strong. But she slept deeply and her breathing was low and steady.

It was strange for him to have a woman tucked away in his bed, and he wasn't sure what to do with her. Her apartment was where they would go when they wanted to be together. His apartment was his space.

He thought he had prepared himself for this news. The idea of a baby with Ariadne was so lovely, so desirable, but now that it was becoming real, he was afraid.

It was such a shock to him, he wasn't sure his mind had absorbed the fact. He wasn't sure how to feel or what to think. Before, everything had been contracts, and a future child that was yet to be. Now, the future was rapidly approaching.

Something else troubled him. Was it right to force Ariadne to have this child? Abortion was out of the question. She wouldn't even be allowed to leave the Demeter until the birth. After the child was born, Ariadne would only see the baby enough to nurse it; that would be it. The group would insist she not bond with her baby. They might even demand she wear the blindfold as well.

Arthur went to his piano. His mind suddenly tormented by the thoughts of how difficult all of this now was. It would have been easier if he had made her wear the blindfold. If he hadn't spent time with her, gotten to know her. He liked Ariadne. He wasn't sure if it could be called love yet, but he genuinely cared about her and didn't want her hurt.

It would have been easier if he had mated with one of his own kind. Or with a woman he wasn't attracted to. Ariadne had bewitched him from the moment he saw her and he felt a strange kind of protectiveness for her.

"That's pretty." a groggy voice reached him.

Arthur rested his hands on the piano, the music he was playing stoped.

He stood to see a bedraggled and sleepy Ariadne standing in the doorway.

"I didn't wake you up, did I?" he asked.

"Yes, but I've been asleep long enough." she said and came to sit beside him on the piano bench.

He felt himself grow tense with her so near. He wasn't used to people being in his apartment and news of her condition made him nervous.

"Are you hungry?" he asked.

"No." she said. "Will you teach me to play something?" she asked instead.

"Like what?" he asked trying to laugh, but only sounding like he was mocking her.

"I don't know." she said as she sat beside him.

His hands found the familiar keys. A song he always played as a warm up. Greensleeves was the first song he had ever learned and he had always liked it. It centered him on the keys and after he played it, was able to play anything. He despised the fact it was usurped for a Christmas carol and preferred the Elizabethan version.

"You'll play with the right hand, key of G." he instructed as he lead her through the first twenty notes.

He watched as she fumbled over the keys and had to be corrected. It took the better part of an hour to have her play the first part of the song. She kept insisting on hitting one key when it didn't call for it, her lovely fave grimacing each time she did it, but she couldn't seem to help it.

Arthur seemed to summon patience he didn't know he had when teaching her. His old music teacher would sigh and berate him, thus sucking all the joy out of music when he got a key wrong. Arthur just silently corrected Ariadne and said nothing.

Their fingers touching each others as she tried again to play.

"Very good." he said after she got the chorus right three times in a row. "Now, you'll play your part, and I'll play mine."

She nodded and concentrated on her keys as he played left hand. The old world harmony coming together beautifully as her face lit up.

Over and over, they played the simple yet enchanting melody as if on a loop. Ariadne fumbling a few times to keep the rhythm with him, often losing her place and having to jump in with him again. Finally, they blended the music together well enough to sound like a real song.

Arthur stilled the keys and let the sound fade.

Ariadne looked at him happily.

He was surprised to find himself calmer. Surprised he was no longer worried or scared. This moment was perfect and peaceful and it soothed him.

"Look what we did together." he whispered.


	12. Chapter 12

12.

~ "I think I might like to learn to play." Ariadne said as he walked her back to her apartment.

"It's never too late to learn." he told her comfortingly.

"Do you think... I mean, you're a very good teacher." she whispered as she unlocked her door and went in.

"I'm not sure." he sighed.

She turned and faced him.

"We're not supposed to see each other now... well now that my part in out contract is done." he explained.

"Oh." Ariadne said. Her voice was lighthearted, but she looked as if he had slapped her in the face.

"I'm sorry." he said.

"It's okay, really... really it's fine." she told him quickly and looked embarrassed.

"I know this must be hard on you." he tried to explain.

"No, it's not. It's fine." she promised eagerly.

She looked embarrassed as they stood at the door.

"So... so I guess this is goodbye." she said awkwardly.

"Ariadne." he said. He had to tell her and he wasn't sure how she would react.

"Yes?" she said hopefully.

"The doctor and his staff were in your apartment when you were with me." Arthur said and tried not to meet her in the eyes.

"What?" she asked.

"You made a comment about terminating the pregnancy." he said simply. "That's not allowed."

"I only said it as an option. We did change our minds about going through with this, right?" she said.

"We did." he confirmed. "But now you're pregnant and an abortion is out of the question."

"I..." she started to say.

"Ariadne, it was hurtful to me that you even thought about terminating our child." he said stiffly. His male pride and anger ruffled.

"It's not a _child_, Arthur. It's a mass of replicating cells in my body. It's no more a child than a tumor." she said bitterly.

He glared at her.

"The doctor and his staff have removed anything in your apartment that you might use to harm yourself." he said stiffly. "Anything you might use to cause a miscarriage or-"

"You really think I would do that?" she snarled suddenly. Cutting him off. "You think I would do some kind of-" she rolled her eyes and sighed.

"Arthur , if I wanted to terminate, I would go to a clinic and have it done by a doctor there. I wouldn't need your permission either. We're not married." she snapped.

Arthur tried to stay calm.

"You won't be able to go to a clinic." he said calmly.

"I never said I would." she told him.

"No, you don't understand." he said. He tried to keep his anger in check. "Until the child is born, you won't be able to leave the Demeter."

~ "It's in your contract." Arthur told her as she read the thick packet of paper. How had she missed that stipulation?

Ariadne tried to wade through he legal mumbo jumbo and finally Arthur took pity on her.

"Page 80, section 4, item 12." he told her as they sat on her couch.

"Thank you." she said and refused to look at him.

She still didn't understand the legal speak, but it was clear she had agreed to stay in the building until the baby was born.

"So, I'm a prisoner?" she asked.

"No." he assured her.

"If I'm not a prisoner, I can leave." she huffed.

"No you can't leave." he said.

"I'll just call 911 and have the cops escort me out." she told him.

"You can do that." he told her. "Then, you will have to go to court for breech of contract with us. You have accepted good faith money for your services as a surrogate and there are precedents where a surrogate has been successfully sued."

"This is a unique situation." she argued. "Conception didn't happen in a lab."

"It is a unique situation. One which, if you tell people about, you will be in breech of contract and be sued again." he countered.

She gaped at him.

"So, what are you? A lawyer?" she snapped at him and threw the contract on the floor.

"Yes." he said calmly.

"I bet you sue people all the time." she pouted. "I bet that's how you pay for all this. Taking innocent people to court and robbing your own clients blind." she waved her arms around the apartment she loved in frustration.

"Not really." he sighed. Not at all offended by her comment. "I work with the DA in child abuse cases as well as international human rights."

She looked surprised.

"Is it really so shocking?" he laughed.

"I just thought..." she shook her head.

"What? That I was some vampire lawyer who tricks pretty girls into bed?" he asked.

"Yes." she said simply.

Arthur was trying not to smile, and the effect was marvelous as his eyes crinkled and he looked at his hands.

"I just don't think I can go through with this now." she whispered at last.

"It's done." he told her.

"We'll never see one another again?" she asked sadly. "In 9 months, I'll have to give up my baby?"

"It's not your baby." he told her. His tone cold and professional. "You need to think of it as another couple's child. Divorce yourself from the idea that it's yours." he suggested.

She looked at him as if he had grown a second head.

"Arthur," she said

"It's what you'll have to do." he told her.

~ He let out a long sigh.

"I want you to eat something, before I go." he told her.

"No." she said stubbornly.

"Ariadne." he said and stood. "You haven't eaten in hours and you need to keep your strength up."

"I'm not hungry." she pouted.

His father's words came back to him suddenly.

'_An expectant mother is no different than a spoiled child._' Arthur finally understood.

"Yes, you are." he told her calmly. "I'll fix us some dinner."

"It's not in my contract to eat, you can't make me!" she said crossing her arms over her chest.

Arthur had ignored her and went into the kitchen.

"Tell you what." he said. "If you promise to eat tonight, I'll teach you to play piano tomorrow."

"I thought you said you wouldn't see me again." she told him as she followed him into the kitchen.

"I need to make sure you're going to be alight. I don't feel comfortable leaving you alone." he said as he pulled free left over vegetable casserole.

"I don't want to learn anything." she told him.

"Fine. But you have to eat." he said unphased.

"No."

~ Ariadne didn't realize how hungry she was until Arthur started cooking for her. The casserole had water chestnuts in it and the cranberries were tasty. She was anxious to eat, but didn't want to give him the satisfaction of doing what he wanted. She wasn't going to be the one to fold.

She knew if she started eating, it would make him happy and that would make her happy. She wasn't going to trick herself into caring for him.

For a brief shinning moment, she had believed they were something more. Believed they could fall in love one day and be happy. But the cold reality of the contract was that they were not in love. They were not even friends. Arthur would leave her, she would be alone in this apartment and forced to give up this baby.

"Ariadne," he said sternly. "sit down and eat something."

"I want to go to bed. I'm tired." she said stubbornly.

"We'll go to bed. After we eat dinner." he said. "Now, sit down."

With a fit of the sulks, she plopped down in her chair and felt her stomach growl at the smell of the food in front of her. The kitchen had sent up the casserole and it was the best thing she had ever had. Arthur was slowly turning her to vegetarianism with tasty dishes of various fruits and vegetables.

"And I'm eating meat while pregnant." she told him as she impaled a noodle and ate it.

"Fine." he told her.

~ Arthur made sure she ate her dinner, then he did the dishes as she took a shower. He didn't want to leave her cheerful apartment and go back to the cold, barren world of his home. He wanted to be here with Ariadne. Her home smelled nicely of the scented candles she loved, good foods, and clean soap. He had nice memories here and he liked being around her.

It wasn't right that he should leave. It was his child to, wasn't it?

"I'm going to stay the night." he told her as she came out of her bathroom smelling of the honey shampoo she used.

"You're not. Your work is done." she told him sharply.

"I'm worried about you." he told her. "I don't think you should be left alone tonight."

"I'm fine." she told him. That old stubbornness coming back.

"I'm still staying."

"You can sleep on the sofa." she said and turned to leave him.

"I have a bad back." he lied. "You have a nice mattress and that's where I'm going to sleep."

"You most certainly will not!" she snapped as he followed her into her bedroom and he started to pull the designer pillows off her neatly made bed.

"Arthur!" she snapped.

He ignored her as he pulled off his tie and jacket.

"It wont be that bad." he told her as he slipped off his shoes.

"No!" she shouted. Her voice so petulant and child like, he couldn't help himself.

His palm made sharp contact with her bottom as he gave her a hard swatting.

She gasped in shock and her eyes went wide.

"Arthur!" she cried as her hands went to cover her rear.

He tired not to smile. He knew the spanking didn't hurt her at all. The way she was acting just now, he couldn't help but spank her.

She let out an audible huff and stripped off her bathrobe. He was sad to see she had put on pajamas. The days of him seeing her naked were over now.

"Goodnight." she said harshly as they settled in her bed. Their bodies as far away from each other as possible.


	13. Chapter 13

13.

~ He was holding his breath as he could feel her shift in their bed. The darkness covering them as the silence span outward.

"I wouldn't you know." her voice drifted up and reached him.

"Do what?" he asked.

"Have an abortion. I don't hate you that much." she said. "I'm just... this is all really happening now."

He could hear the worry and desperate fear in her voice and rolled over. Her was afraid to touch her. She wasn't her normal self just now and he was unsure about how to proceed.

"Come here." he ordered and he felt her body roll over and the contact of her flesh to his.

He breathed in the smell of her as she seemed to be doing the same thing. Their bodies embracing for comfort and safety.

"It's going to be really hard. When the time comes." she whispered.

"It will be." he agreed, and felt her head rest on his chest.

He wanted to be there for her. Wanted to provide her with some kind of protection. But the rules of his group kept him from promising her the world. Of giving her all she needed to feel happy and secure.

"I'm glad you stayed." she whispered.

"I am to." he said.

"Will you stay tomorrow?"

"Yes." he promised easily.

He heard her sniffle slightly and her small hands run up his arms.

He felt a hotness and need for her spark in his blood.

"Ariadne." he whispered as his hands ran over her dark hair that smelled so nice.

"Can we make love?" she asked simply. "I know it's not in my contract."

"Ariadne, we..." he should have told her that it wasn't appropriate to be with her now. He should distance himself from her. Keep away to hurt her less. But her clothes were coming off as he couldn't stop kissing her. The feel of skin on skin was so wonderful as her breasts bloomed out of her clothing as she rolled on top of him.

He knew he should protest this, this act that went beyond his teachings of sex only for procreation, but he couldn't. He realized she had removed her panties and he could feel heat radiating from her, she rested her slight weight on him.

She felt perfect and right as he rose his hips to greet her. Her wetness obviously growing with promise of what he could have and his own body responded.

She moved over him as he tried to thrust himself in. Her body escaping his as he tried to guide her hips back to his wanting need. It was like she was taunting him. Like she was the piece of string that the cat couldn't catch.

"Come here." he ordered gently as he felt her shift away from him again.

"What's wrong?" she teased and he cold feel her smile as they kissed.

"I want you." he said feeling childish. Demanding something she could so easily give, but refused to.

"Do you?" she asked. Her voice suddenly serious.

In the darkness, he could faintly see her.

"Yes, I want you. It's why I chose you." he said with a steel to his voice he didn't like to use with her.

As a reward, he felt his shaft slid into her. Her inner walls wet, warm and tight as always as he gripped her hips.

He let out a long groan at the pleasure she gave him just now. No wonder this kind of sex was frowned on by the group, it was too wonderful not to be forbidden.

He met her kisses as she rode him. His hands going to cup her breasts as she let out little cries of satisfaction.

His breathing coming hard as he wished he could see her better. The darkness protecting them like the blindfold he had made her wear. But he could still feel her, still touch her and partake of all that was so forbidden to him.

~ Arthur woke up to the sounds of Ariadne moving around the apartment he next morning.

He rolled over and didn't know where he was at first. The annoying habit of always forgetting where you fell asleep and thinking you would wake up in your own bed.

He roused himself to see the chocolate colored walls, the oh so feminine canopy bed with it's sheer curtains. He was in Ariadne's apartment.

He pulled himself out of her bed and dressed in the clothes he had worn yesterday. He would have to shower and change when he got back to his place.

He heard heavy, hurried footsteps in the hall and was worried about Ariadne. He quickly found her doing laundry. The dish washer in the kitchen was humming and she was about to start vacuuming in the living room.

"Nesting, I see." he teased as he came behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist, his nose buried in her sweet smelling hair.

"I'm _not_ nesting." she insisted stubbornly. "I'm just cleaning. I've been putting it off. Just because I'm pregnant and cleaning, doesn't mean I'm nesting."

"Alright." he conceded. "Are you hungry?"

"No."

"I'll be back later tonight, make sure you eat something." he told her.

"Did you know all my hangers in my closet were taken? My clothes were folded on the floor. My cell phone is gone, and I can't access my email or the internet. How am I supposed to finish my school work?"

Arthur sighed.

"Yeah, you can still do your school work, it just has to be sent to you through us first." he told her.

"Apart of my contract?"

"Yes."

"So, I _am_ a prisoner." she told him.

"No."

"You're keeping me from leaving, you have taken my only means of communication away." she told him.

"You can leave at any time. No one will stop you. Your phone was taken away because we don't want it to get out you're pregnant. Your friends will expect you to have a baby in 9 months. This is supposed to be a privately handled matter." he said calmly. "That is apart of you contract."

"I wanted to leave when I first got here." she told him. "I wanted a pizza and the guard wouldn't let me leave the building."

"If you want to leave, I will walk you out myself." he told her in a cold tone.

"Then, you'll sue me." she whispered.

"For breech of contract and for custody." he told her.

"Have a good day." she told him and folded her arms over her chest and refused to look at him.

~ Arthur didn't have a good day.

"You spent the night with her, after she threatened an abortion?" Richard growled over lunch.

"She didn't say she was going to." Arthur said defensively.

"Dr. Yuseff feels differently." another group elder cut in.

Arthur was forced to have this meeting now that word was out Ariadne was already pregnant.

"She's just worried." Arthur told him. "She's never done this before."

"Yes, and the matter doesn't help with you sleeping with her. This creates an intimacy, a couple, rather than whole." yet another elder interjected.

"Now, you come to us saying you want Ariadne in the group?" Richard snapped.

"You were considering this anyway." Arthur told him.

"Only if she could prove her place by giving birth to a healthy child and accepting our values. She has yet to do either." Richard said.

"Is there a chance this girl will try and terminate on her own?" the first elder asked.

"I don't think so. I've been spending time with her and I don't think she would. I don't want her to feel alone just now." Arthur told them.

"Well, you must stop this. If I had wanted my son mated with an outsider, living with her as you are doing, I would never have accepted you back into the fold." Richard snarled.

"Arthur," a third elder, silent until now, spoke up. "Do you want to be in this group? Are you committed to our teachings?"

"Of course. I have spent my professional career fighting for children's rights. I'm disgusted and appalled by how outsiders treat the children they carelessly bring into this world." Arthur told them.

"They starve them, beat them, abuse them in a sexual way." the third elder said. "But we do not do that here. We are different. We wear the blindfold, so as not to get to close to our mates. Thus protecting us from jealousy and other failings when the time comes for another mate. We share the gift that is our children, so as to keep them safe from harm. We allow them to be raised by others if necessary so that a mother or father will not feel trapped, over burdened or regret having the child. Our children, are a gift. You will see this once the girl gives birth." he said gently.

"And once she does give birth, we will take the baby." the first elder said hatefully.

"Ariadne-" Arthur argued.

"Has been and will be well compensated." Richard spat. "She may think being a mother in our group is what she wants, but she will resent you for it in the end. She will understand how much she has missed out on and take her anger out on the child."

Arthur leaned back in his chair. He had hoped that this meeting would result in a change of the rules. Something that would allow him to have Ariadne, and their child.

"The girl doesn't want to stay here and be a mother, Arthur." the third elder said in his kind voice. "She said so herself on many occasions. She has a life she wants to lead, travel and a career. She will find a husband one day and marry. She will have her real family then."

The third elder's words, didn't comfort Arthur.

~ Ariadne was trying to cook a vegetarian dish for when Arthur would come over tonight. She bravely made home made pasta, wrapped in spinach and stewed tomatoes for a sauce. She couldn't fight the feeling of wanting her home clean and food ready.

'_Crap, what if I am nesting?_' she wondered. She hadn't given the pregnancy much thought. She had kept herself too busy for that. She couldn't do school work, because the boring studying made her think of the baby and of Arthur, she couldn't watch TV because day time television was awful.

So, she cleaned her entire apartment, cooked a lavish dinner and finished her laundry.

She was expecting Arthur at any second when her door bell buzzed. She had burnt her tongue on the sauce, decided it was pretty tasty and went to greet Arthur.

She was glad he had stayed the night last night. Happy that he was coming to see her again. Maybe they would make love and she would feel better about this whole baby thing. Maybe they could talk about her joining the group, or his leaving the group. Whatever they decided, she was happy she wasn't alone.

She was shocked to see the little door man greet her with a large package in his arms.

"Yes?" she asked him wondering where Arthur was.

"Oh, I'm sorry." the youth fumbled. "But, Arthur sent this to you."

He handed over the package that was very long and not as heavy as it looked.

"Where is he?" Ariadne asked as she looked at the card attached. Her name was scrawled at the top in fancy penmanship.

"Not sure, ma'am." the young man said before nodding to her and leaving.

~ Ariadne unwrapped the package first. She wondered what it could be, and tore at it like a child on Christmas morning.

She let out a surprised laugh at finding a very high end electric piano that was capable of teaching someone to play. Along with it were teaching DVD s for piano lessons.

She pulled out the card, expecting the note from Arthur to say he would be a little late and he hoped she would like her present. He had after all, offered to teach her to play, hadn't he?

She pulled free an expensive looking custom made card from it's envelope and looked over the fancy handwriting.

_Ariadne, _

_ I'm very sorry. I will not be able to come and see you tonight, or any other night. We have grown too close, and it's no longer appropriate for us to spend so much time together. I will see you on your weekly doctor's appointments, and I've arranged to have a music teacher come and teach you to play piano. _

_ I have to do this, because I have found myself caring for you in a way that is not productive for what we must do in none months time. It will be easier for us this way. _

_ Please remember to eat right, go to the yoga classes and above all take care of yourself. I know you must be very hurt and angry at me just now, but know the reason I'm doing this is because I have enjoyed our time together so much. _

_ Arthur._

~ Ariadne read and re-read the letter. It didn't make sense. What was he saying? He would only see her at doctor's appointments? He cared for her, but was leaving her to rot in this apartment?

She could smell her marinara sauce start to burn, but didn't care as she sank to the floor and cried.


	14. Chapter 14

14.

~ It was days and days of nothing that stretched out in a hollow, empty void. She didn't clean or eat much. The fancy groceries that were delivered daily sat unused, unrefrigerated and spoiled. Ariadne had sat them on her entry table, and only attended to them when the smell got too bad.

She threw them out in the garbage chute, sensing she was the only one on this hall anyway. Knowing she was alone and no one could hear her and no one even cared.

Arthur sent her flowers every morning. A polite and professional reminder to eat right, and go to yoga class. That they had a doctor's appointment in a weeks time and he would see her then.

Ariadne would leave the flowers out in the hall for the door man to pick up the next day when he brought her new ones. She didn't want to see them or be reminded of Arthur. Of his desertion in her time of need. She locked her door tightly, in an unknowable fear that gripped her. Wishing for a deadbolt to keep her safe.

'_I don't need him._' she thought bitterly as she watched mindless reality shows all day.

She had yet to unpack the piano he had sent and sent the teacher away.

Instead, she watched TV, slept and hardly ate.

~ Arthur was worried. He couldn't seem to concentrate on his work and couldn't even play scales on the piano anymore. His fingers were once light and nimble, the music came so easily to him. Now, he was dropping notes all the time and growing frustrated.

Tom, in the grocery downstairs had said Ariadne had been rejecting the flowers he had sent. And there was was a strong suspicion she wasn't eating right. The garbage collector for the building reporting that bags of unopened, spoiled food was always to be found near her apartment each day.

Arthur needed to check on her, fought the urge to go and see her, but he knew if he did, he would want to stay.

'_I don't love her._' he said to himself as he fumbled over the keys again. His music coming out like he never knew how to play.

'_She's just going to have the baby and be gone. It's better if I deal with this now. It will be harder later on._'

~ Ariadne's first doctor's appointment required her to be present. She had overslept and didn't show up for the early morning visit. Resulting in Yuseff coming to see her.

"So any nausea?" the plump little man asked kindly.

"No." she said sadly. "Was Arthur there?"

"You mean at the clinic?" Yuseff asked. "Yes, he was."

The doctor removed his stethoscope as he finished taking her blood pressure.

"Why didn't he come here?" she asked.

"I believe he had to go to work. He may have mention something about you not wanting him there. That maybe that was why you neglected to come." he said in his neat accent.

"I neglected to come, because I overslept." she told him curtly.

"Have you been sleeping a lot lately?"

"Yes." she sighed. "I plan to go to sleep as soon as you leave."

"Arthur has also reported you have not been keeping up with your school work. Tom had told us that you have not been eating the foods he sends up." Yuseff said gently.

"I'm fine." she told him.

"A sad mother is an unhealthy mother." Yuseff told her.

She stared at him with such furry, he had to move away.

"That's really all you people care about, isn't it?" she said hostility.

"We care about you. I think Arthur cares for you very much." Yuseff argued.

She let out a long sigh.

"I don't want to see him. I don't want him to come to these appointments." she told him.

"He's the father-to-be, he has the right." Yuseff said gently.

"I'm the one who's having the baby." she told him curtly. "I have the finally say in who is there for my medical procedures."

~ "What do you mean I'm not allowed to be there?" Arthur growled at Yuseff.

"Just what I told you." the doctor said. "I've reviewed the contract, she has every right to not have you there if she doesn't want to."

"Arthur, you drew up the contract yourself." Richard said darkly.

"I..." Arthur faltered. "I thought she would want me there."

"She doesn't." Yuseff said.

"Well, I intend to be there even if she doesn't-"

"I won't allow that." Yuseff interjected.

Both men glared at the doctor who gave them a careless shrug.

"I was told when I agreed to this position that the mothers health is first priority till the child is born. I refuse to allow you to put her under stress. If she doesn't want to see you, doesn't want you in the exam room, that is what will happen." Yuseff said firmly.

"Perhaps it is for the best." Richard agreed. "You were trying to distance yourself from her anyway."

"Being there for the sonogram, that's something I was looking forward to." Arthur argued.

"I can make you a digital copy." Yuseff offered.

"How did she look?" Arthur asked. Not willing to let this matter drop.

"Not as well as I would like. I believe she is depressed. She's admitted to sleeping too much and I don't think she is eating enough." Yuseff said.

"I need to see her. I should have never left her alone." Arthur said.

"Son, this is not our way." Richard told him. "She is the doctor's responsibility now. Not yours."

~ Ariadne woke up with morning sickness a few weeks later. Her nausea keeping her up and forcing her to stay active or risk being sick again.

She hooked up her new piano and watched the DVDs Arthur had given her. She found it was much easier than she thought. The scales for the right hand, scales for the left. Playing them together was impossible. How did anyone actually do this?

Her school work started getting done, and her appetite slowly came back. Although, she was reluctant to eat anything more than soup and bread because of the constant throwing up.

She felt like she always smelled of vomit and was glad she had barricaded the front door so no one could come and get her.

She had an unreasonable fear of people barging into her apartment and taking her. She would have nightmares about them doing experiments on her body. Of people in white masks removing something from her body she needed to live. Then, far in the distance, she could hear a baby crying.

She would wake up in a cold sweat and then pushed the heavy wooden chest of draws to block her front door off. It was a stupid and maybe even crazy, but she felt better after doing it.

When she was hungry, she would push the chest of draws aside, look out the peep hole for a long time, then quietly unlock the door.

There was always a large cooler full of perishable foods, and a bag of fresh bread and vegetables for her. She would leave the flowers in the hall and take her supplies inside.

Back in her apartment, she was safe. She pushed her chest of drawers over the front door again and breathed a sigh of relief.

~ Yuseff was the only one who would visit her now. A few weeks went by and no one else cared enough to see if she were alive or dead. A gripping sorrow too roost in her soul and wouldn't budge.

"Please tell me you're eating better." Yuseff said as he wheeled in a portable machine.

"What's that?" she asked him looking at the bulky, awkward device.

"I thought you might like to see a picture of the baby." Yuseff offered proudly.

"I don't." she said stiffly.

"Ariadne, this is a 3D sonogram machine. It can show you the baby's face and everything. You're only three months along now, it will look a little odd, but we can see him or her if you like." he said hopefully.

"If _you_ like." she corrected him. "This is just to take back to Arthur with you tail wagging."

"Very well, we don't have to do this." he said.

He noticed the chest of drawers that had been moved to allow him to come inside.

"Still in hiding I see." he mused.

"No one want's to see me. It's for the best, isn't it?" she said. Ready for another pity party.

"Arthur tells me you have resumed your school work."

"May as well try to make the most of a bad situation." she said stiffly.

"Your grades are not very praise worthy." Yuseff commented.

She glared at him.

"I've brought you some prenatal vitamins. No one can force you to take them or to eat correctly, but I'm asking as your friend, to take them." he said.

"You're not my friend." she said and moved away from him as he tried to give her the vitamins.

"I know you must feel that way." Yuseff told her. "But trust me, I am on your side."

"I want to leave." she announced.

"Leave the Demeter?" he asked.

"I want leave, to have my baby and keep it." she said.

"Alright." Yuseff said.

"What?"

"If that's what you want." he told her.

"I thought this baby was the property of... that it wasn't mine to keep." she said in surprise.

"Stop being silly. I'm glad to see you're concerned for the child." Yuseff said.

"Are you going to tell Arthur?" she asked fearfully.

"Do you want me to?" he asked.

"No."  
"Then I won't."

"Will..." she was afraid to ask. "Will you help me leave?"

"Yes." Yuseff told her. "But you have to eat better and get your strength back."

She stared at him in disbelief.

"I told you, Ariadne." he said "I'm your friend. I will help you escape the Demeter."


	15. Chapter 15

15.

~ Yuseff's plan was not immediately acted upon.

Ariadne waited impatiently, thinking that he would have helped her out that very day. She knew she couldn't just _leave_ the Demeter. Arthur had told her she was free to go, but the guards were in place at the front door, and she knew she couldn't simply walk out.

When she had first arrived, she noticed the elevator would only take her to her floor and the ground floor. She could use the park and the ball rooms, but there were always guards everywhere, and tiny black orbs in the ceiling meant that cameras were watching her.

No, whatever the plan was, it wasn't as simple as walking out.

Filled with a certain ray of hope, Ariadne started to eat better. Suddenly realizing she was hungry. Wanting to eat the fresh fruit and vegetables that came everyday. She was so hungry sometimes, she would wake up in the middle of the night starving.

~ "You've been taking care of yourself." Yuseff noticed during her exam a week later.

"Yes." Ariadne sighed.

"Have you felt any movement?" he asked as she wondered when her belly would start to grow.

"Not yet. Will I soon?" she asked hopefully, and nervously.

"In a month or so. There is no set date." he said gently.

"When will we leave?" she whispered. They were in her apartment, alone and safe, but she whispered it anyway.

"Soon. I've made arrangements for you, but the people who will help us want to know if you want to keep the child or not. If you want to terminate, we will need to step up up plans. You're getting farther along now." he told her in a hushed tone.

"I don't want to terminate." she told him suddenly.

A few months ago, she would have. A few months ago she would have wanted her life back to normal. Now, everything had changed.

"I don't know how I'll support us. Myself and a baby... but I'll find away." she said sadly.

"I know you will." Yuseff told her.

"Why are you helping me?" she asked. "If they found out you helped me..."

"I know." he told her. "I think the group has their hearts in the right place with love for their children. It's just poorly executed. No mother should be torn away from her child. Especially at birth before she's had a chance to prove herself. It's the cruelest thing a person can do."

~ A week went by, and it was time again for her appointment. Yuseff rolled in the large, 3D sonogram machine.

"Don't worry." he chuckled as she gaped at him. "I know you don't want to see."

"I do actually." she said brightly. She was liking the idea of a baby more and more.

"Well too bad." Yuseff said in a cheerful voice. "Because I've left the actual machine in the office. Silly me."

"What?" Ariadne asked looking at the large device that was too big to carry and had to rolled in.

"I've taken out the machine to make room." he said and pulled free the housing to reveal a tiny space.

"I'm getting out in_ that_?" she asked in shock.

"Yes." he said with a laugh. "If you were any bigger, you wouldn't fit."

"I don't think I can fit now." she told him trying to imagine herself squeezing in.

"You'll do fine." he told her. "Now, you won't be able to take much with you. We have to avoid suspicion.

Ariadne was quick to act. She ran to her room and changed her clothes. She layered her underthings, pants and shirts. She put on a jacket, even though the weather was too warm.

She was about to grab the $5,000 check, she would need the money after all, but decided to leave it there on her dresser. She put the contract next to the check and left them as a message to Arthur.

"One thing." she told Yuseff as she went to the living room.

The rare orchid Arthur had given her was still on the mantel piece. It was too beautiful not to water each day and care for. It would be the only thing he had given her that she would take. Well... the second thing he had given her.

~ It was a tight, uncomfortable fit in the rolling, hollowed out sonogram machine. Yuseff left her apartment and to all the world, she was still inside her rooms. Not, as she actually was, stuffed in the empty machine, being pushed to the elevators.

It wasn't easy to keep herself, not to mention the orchid in place. The plant proving more difficult that anything. The tight space made her cup her hands around the plant to keep it safe.

She felt them go ride the elevator, felt yuseff wheel her to the clinic where a nurse talked to him for a few minutes, but it felt like forever.

She stayed quite as he told the nurse that the machine was malfunctioning and he was having a repair man come for it in the morning.

"Again?" the nurse bulked. "With all their money you would think they would get you a new one."

"I have anew one." Yuseff said. "But this old one makes a better picture and I can print them out. It's nice to give the parents something to frame."

"I guess." The nurse said. "These people are a little off in my opinion."

"It's not for us to judge." Yuseff said.

"Did you hear about one of them... oh what was his name? Arthur?" the nurse asked.

"Yes." Yuseff said quickly. "I heard. I really must get this down to the basement to that the repair man can pic it up."

Ariadne had stopped breathing. What happened to Arthur?

It was another half hour before Yuseff undid the housing to the machine and let her out.

He took her orchid and she unfolded herself from the little space.

"What did that nurse say about Arthur?"

"Nothing to do with you." Yuseff told her.

"Tell me." Ariadne demanded.

"It seems there was a bit of a row a few weeks ago between him and his father. The gossip even made it to the staff although no one really knows what it was about." Yuseff told her.

"What was it about?" Ariadne asked.

"I don't even know." Yuseff said. "Look, this is as far as I go. The cameras will see you leaving the building, but staff members come and go all the time here and no one should stop you." he said as he helped her pull the hood of her jacket up.

He waved to a large steel door, and a brightly lit up exit sign.

"There will be a van waiting for you. A man by the name of Mr. Cobb will help you. He used to live here and escaped. Now go."

"Thank you." she whispered and walked calmly and quietly out of the storage rooms, past the shipping and receiving rooms and out into a rainy evening.


	16. Chapter 16

16.

~ She looked wildly for a van and didn't see anything. She should have asked Yuseff more about the mysterious Mr. Cobb who was going to be helping her.

What did he look like? Where should she make contact?

She kept her head down and started walking. Grateful her hood covered her face from the rain, and clutched tightly to her orchid.

She felt a car screech to a halt close by and kept walking. It might be days before anyone noticed she was gone. Surely they didn't know she had left already, surely they weren't coming to get her and drag her back.

"Ariadne?" came a harassed voice and she looked up.

A handsome, blond man in a van was idling on the street next to her.

"I'm Cobb, get in." he ordered.

Without thinking, she darted to the van. Her orchid tucked safely in her coat as she jumped in.

Cobb drove off in the van as fast as he could.

"It's alright, you're safe now." Cobb said as she sat on the floor of the van.

"I'm Cobb." the driver told her again.

"Hello." Ariadne said weakly.

"Do you need to go to a hospital?" he asked as he carefully maneuvered the streets.

"No."

"Do you want to see a doctor? Yuseff said you wanted to keep the baby but we can take you to a doctor who will take care of it if you've changed your mind. She's apart of the underground, but she's good and she's safe." he said as Ariadne watched the city through the rain and couldn't believe she was free.

"No. No, I told Yuseff I'm keeping it." she said.

"Alright." Cobb said soothingly. "Are you hungry?"

"No."

"We were going to go out for cheeseburgers." Cobb said.

~ It was like fasting all day for the pure enjoyment of a good meal. Cobb had taken her to an old fashioned burger joint which sold $10 hamburgers that were huge. Cheese melted into the beef and crispy bacon was crammed in as well. The french fries were so oily, they stained the bag with their grease. Ariadne was in heaven as she ate real fast food for the first time in months in the back of the van. She drank her large root beer and ate her burger like she was starving.

"I see the Demeter is still big on the health food." Cobb chuckled as he drove.

Ariadne let out a large burp and felt uncomfortably full.

"I'm fat now." she complained.

~ Cobb drove for hours north. Ariadne felt over fed from her fatty dinner, and she easily fell asleep in passenger seat of the van. She was vaguely aware Cobb has pulled a blanket over her before drifting off.

When she woke up, a man in a Mountie uniform was asking Cobb for papers.

"Canada?" she whispered to him as their documents were inspected.

"Yes." Miles told her. "Don't worry, I have a passport for you."

The Mountie waved the van through and Cobb started driving again.

"We're almost there." he said as Ariadne noticed dawn breaking on the horizon.

~ Cobb's house was buried in the woods. A neglected back road that had a hidden driveway took them to a ramshackle house that looked like it was half finished. There was no congruent theme for the way the house was built. Rooms looked to have been hastily added on as needed. But it felt safe the moment she stepped inside.

It was poorly decorated with run down furniture from the 70's and 80's but each room was big and comfortable.

"You'll spend a few nights here." Cobb said. "They won't be able to find you now that you've crossed the border."

"Thank you." she whispered as he showed her around the confusing layout of the house..

"In the morning, I'll introduce you to my children." he said. "They should still be sleeping right now. I had my friend Miles look after them. Why don't you take a shower and I'll get your room ready?"

There was only one bathroom in the strange house that boasted three living rooms. After she cleaned up and changed, she found found a kindly older man in the kitchen making tea.

"You must be Ariadne. Cobb told me to expect you." he said and asked her if she wanted a cup.

"How long have you known him?" she asked.

"Since he escaped the Demeter four years ago." Miles told her.

"You know about it? About what they do there?" she asked.

"I was once the doctor there. I helped him escape and come here." he said.

"You?" she asked the kindly older man and he nodded.

"Dom used to be at the Demeter. He and Arthur were friends for years." Miles explained as he made Ariadne a cup of tea in the rustic kitchen that badly needed redecorating.

"He decided to leave?" she asked.

"Had to." Miles told him. "He had an outsider woman, just as Arthur did with you. Her name was Mal and they regrettably fell in love. That's against the rules you see."

Ariadne sat down at the shabby kitchen table as the old man went on.

"He tried to get the group to accept Mal, but they refused. Arthur was so upset, he left the Demeter and his father. We were all surprised when we heard he returned."

"So, Mal didn't want to give up her baby?" Ariadne asked. "Is that why they left?"

"No exactly. She gave the baby up, had to." Miles said. "They broke another rule and became pregnant with their son a year later. They continued seeing each other after she was made to leave. When it was discovered Cobb had fathered two children with the same woman, an outsider no less-"

"What's going on here?" came an interruption.

Ariadne jumped at seeing Cobb standing in the kitchen. His face still kind as he looked at them.

She and Miles tired to look innocent.

"Nothing, Dom." Miles said softly.

"Ariadne, I've made up a room for you." Cobb said.

She drank the last of her tea and stood.

"Thank you, for helping me." she whispered. "I... I don't have any money I can't really pay you back."

"I don't do this for the money." he said and showed her to her room.

~ Arthur's orchid took pride of place on the little night stand by her bed. Her room was most likely a closet at one time. Only a tiny window in the corner classified it a bedroom. There was barely enough room for her twin size bed, night table and a coat rack that would have to serve as her closet.

It was years away from her posh apartment at the Demeter. Where the rooms were big and the furnishings were new and smelled nice. Ariadne stripped naked and climbed into the bed. Grateful she was safe as sleep took her.

~ She woke up a few hours later, the orchid was the first thing she saw. It was a stronger plant than she gave it credit for. It had weathered the escape perfectly intact and bloomed brightly as always.

She could hear children laughing and watching TV in the next room. Cobb talking to them.

She suddenly wasn't tired anymore, got up and pulled on her yoga pants and band shirt she loved.

Cobb was cooking dinner. Spaghetti and real meat sauce.

"You're awake." he said as he served them each a plate.

"Yeah. I was tired." she said lamely.

"Yes, you were." he agreed as the children watched her. Interest in their program gone over this strange visitor. The family didn't eat at the table, rather, they settled themselves on the sofa or floor to eat and watch a movie together.

"Ariadne, I would like you to meet my daughter Phillipa and my son James." Cobb said.

"I'm James." the boy offered helpfully.

"Pleased to meet you." Ariadne laughed.

"Are you going to live with us?" Phillipa asked practically.

"Just for a little while." Cobb told her.

"Is it okay if I use the computer?" she asked quitely after she had eaten.

"Just don't check you email or contact friends. Not yet anyway." he told her. "The techs at the Demeter will be looking for that and we can't have them know where you are."

"I won't." she promised.

~ She found Cobb's computer in what was meant to be the dinning room. It had become a work space for him and the kids. She wondered where this Mal person was. There was no evidence of a woman living here at all. Cobb had a bachelor's taste in decorating and home life. Yard sale sofa and chairs, an expensive TV and game console. The walls were bare except for his children's art work and school pictures in mismatched frames.

Still, it was nice and normal.

~ She went online but didn't log into to check her email. She read the news and felt she had missed out on so much in the months she had been locked away like Rapunzel in the tower. The world had gone on without her and she felt left out.

She gasped when she saw Arthur's handsome face glaring at her on the computer screen. It was an article in the times online about him and she was quick to read. it.

~ _Arthur Denton, heir to the famed Denton railroads has won a major victory in the his case against child abuse and abandonment today. _

_ For three years, the ADA had lobbied the city to pass it's one year act. This would enable parents, who have abandoned their children, only one year to re-claim them. _

"_I'm very happy about this." the 32 year old said when interviewed this morning. "We don't want to punish parents for failing their children, but it is failing the children when parents keeps placing them into foster care over and over. With this law, parents have a year to prove they can provide a stable environment for their children. Failing that, the child becomes a ward of the state and available for adoption."_

_ The mayor has allotted millions to now go to parenting classes, rehab and family counseling with the hope that losing custody will be a last resort. _

"_We do not want families torn apart." Mr. Denton said. "A mother belongs with her child. A father needs to be with his family. This is a measure to protect young lives from the havoc of parents who can not or will not provide for them. Our youth should not have to suffer because of the failings of adults."_

_ Mr. Denton has worked in the DA's office for six years and made a name for himself in child abuse cases. He is the only son of Richard Denton, a judge who worked for decades in civil rights. The Denton family is one of the oldest families in New York._

_ Arthur Denton is unmarried and admits to living alone in the Demeter apartments. A building well known for it's privacy and never listing apartments for rent. _

~ Ariadne goggled the Demeter on the available link.

~ _The Demeter is beaux-arts apartment building of around 1,000 units. One of the largest apartments at the time of it's construction in 1910. It boasts in inner park, solarium and kitchens. The Demeter was built by the three families. The Denton's, who were building railroads across the country. The Cobb's who made their money in steel. And the Howards who were shipping magnates. _

_ Very little is know about the Demeter. It's interior has rarely been photographed and no one who lives there is willing to comment. _

_ It is known that all three families resided at the Demeter, along with several others, and many of them still live there to this day, making the Demeter the rare generational apartment building. _

_ The Demeter has been listed at full occupancy since it's completion and, like many exclusive apartments on Park Avenue, is not likely to rent anytime soon. _

_ In the 1930's several accounts of a secret society surfaced from young women who claimed to have had babies stolen from them at the Demeter. Their claims ranged from everything from rape to forced imprisonment. They were never able to identify their attackers however. Their stories varying wildly and often they claimed to have been blindfolded during the assault. Police investigated these claims, but found no evidence of missing children, or cult like behavior. These young women were discredited and remanded to the state mental health home._

_ In 1981, famed pianist Emily Walsh wrote to her sister that she have been held prisoner and forced to partake in some kind or cult like ritual at the Demeter. She claimed to have also become pregnant by an unnamed person during her captivity, and had the baby stolen from her. In 1983, Miss Walsh committed suicide in her home in Brooklyn. _

_ Investigators believed Miss. Walsh had become obsessed with the Demeter and used decades old research to learn of the 1930's claims. When her own story could not be proven, she committed suicide. _

_ Ellen Walsh, Emily's sister, maintains the late pianist was not unstable and had been some kind of victim at the hands of the Demeter. In 1998, Miss Walsh's body was exhumed and was proven, through a privately funded forensic's team, that she had in fact given birth two years before her death. _

_ In 1986, with satanic cults hysteria making headlines all over the country, the Demeter was again upset with more claims of housing a cult with the intent on producing children. _

_ These claims were ignored without proof. _

_ The last photographs of the Demeter was taken after the 1990 investigation of a prostitute being raped at the Demeter. No charges were filed against her accuser, as she was never able to identify her attacker. _

~ Ariadne looked over the overly color saturated photographs of the ball room and solarium taken in the 90's, The faded color of the 80's and the sepia color of the 30's. The Demeter had not changed much in the century it had been built. The decor looked the same with only a few details off from it's first opening.

He talked about his group like a family, but was it something more sinister? He said they would raise her baby in a family. Was that even true? Would they have killed it and cleaned their conscious with doing good works for charity?

She shut her eyes and closed the laptop. She couldn't read anymore.


	17. Chapter 17

17.

~ "You're looking a little sad." Cobb remarked that evening. She had taken another nap after reading about Arthur and the Demeter online. Her body had started betraying her by becoming this exhausted glob of human. She needed to sleep more often and was always hungry. The morning sickness had worn off, but she knew that she was no longer in control of her body for the next few months.

"Well, I'm on the run in a another country with people I hardly know." she tried to laugh. "I've got no money, no plans and I'm pregnant. I can't exactly call Arthur for child support can I?"

She tried to sound like she was laughing at herself. But it only sounded bitter.

"Cheer up." Cobb told her. "We were always taught a sad mother isn't healthy."

"Miles told me a little about you." Ariadne said as she looked towards where James and Phillipa were coloring under a fort made from bed sheets and sofa cushions. "About Mal." she added. "Where is she?"

"She passed away." Cobb admitted sadly. "Last year."

"I'm sorry." she told him.

"Yes. See, I was once a member of the Demeter. A chosen son who got the honor of crawling on top of some poor blindfolded girl in the hopes or procreation. I found Mal on my own, I wanted an outsider because I didn't want to have to deal with the ties that bind. It's what we call it when we have a child with someone. We're always connected to that person, no matter what. An outsider, would mean there are no ties. No complications after the child was born. Mal and I didn't follow the rules like we should have. Didn't use the blindfold and we saw one another for socially before and after our daughter was conceived." he confessed. "None of that was allowed."

"She gave up her daughter? What happened then?" Ariadne asked fearfully.

"Phillipa lived the first year of her life with a couple I knew very well. I saw her almost every day, but Mal was forced to leave. It nearly killed her. She kept thinking she was going to die if she couldn't have our baby back." he sighed.

"In the end, I went back to her. I started to see her outside of the Demeter and I would bring Phillipa with me for visits." he looked at his feet. "It was like we were a real family; it was heaven. Then, we were expecting James and the elders found out. Miles helped me escape and James was born here in Canada."

"Are they still looking for you?" she asked.

"We have new identities. We're safe." he assured her.

"What did Mal die of? I was made to go through a whole medical exam to prove I was healthy." Ariadne asked and then wished she hadn't.

Cobb looked troubled.

"She could never shake the feeling that people were going to take our children away from us. She lived in fear all the time." Cobb said. "One day, I came home and the kids were left with Miles. Later, a police officer came to the door and said there had been an accident on the highway. Mal had driven down the wrong lane and a truck hit her. They think she killed herself."

~ It was later in the evening and Ariadne still couldn't get the idea of Mal's death out of her mind. She was starting to accept the fact she had a person growing inside her now and the knowledge that she was going to be a mother made her scared and possessive. What if Arthur found her? What if the people from the Demeter came for her and locked her up this time? She would give birth, they would take her child and she would die from the heartbreak.

She sat up in bed at this. She would _die_ without this child. She knew it as surely as she knew anything else. She tried to stay calm as a strange, animal like defensive nature grew hot in her body. She would kill whomever tried to take her baby. She would hide forever if that's what it took. She had never felt like this before, but a sensation of power at the decision to protect her offspring made her relax and fall asleep.

~ Arthur was less contented that night. He knew he had wronged Ariadne by abandoning her for weeks on end. Knew he owed her more than what he was doing to her now.

Maybe they could escape. Maybe they could just leave the Demeter and be a normal family. He was so bolstered by the idea that he brought it to his father his plans on leaving, and take Ariadne with him.

"Are you insane?" Richard had barked. "That girl and that child are not going anywhere, son."

"It's my child to. I just don't think-" Arthur said weakly.

"Son, how long have you known her? You think you're in love with her? What does she know about raising a baby? Always assuming she would even want to have it? She would resent you and the child and become one of those horrible women who have to have their child taken away from them. Do you want that?" Richard asked.

Arthur had to agree. He didn't want Ariadne to be like the over worked, underpaid women who stood up in court and were so sorry they didn't take better care of their children. So sorry they didn't give them enough food or didn't take them to the doctor. These were women who meant to do better by their families, but were so beaten down by never having enough, that they just gave up. They descended into drugs and alcohol abuse till all that mattered was feeding an addiction, not their children.

"I would be there." Arthur offered. Remembering how the father was never in the family to help in those heartbreaking cases.

"You work 80 hours a week. How will you help?" Richard laughed.

"I can support her and the child."

"Which she never wanted." Richard correct. "Son, I know that news of the baby is difficult. I know you think you care for her, but she's just a mother to your child. She will have the baby and you will never see her again. You're next child will be born by a woman in our community. No more outsiders for a long time." Richard decided.

~ Ariadne had been gone only 3 hours when Arthur decided to visit her. He knew Yuseff had paid her a visit and perhaps done a sonogram. He had to see her. Had to at least ask if she wanted to leave the Demeter with him and keep their child.

He would abandon his teachings, his home and his future for her. Ariadne was different, she was special. He couldn't just use her like this.

Her front door was unlocked which was very odd for her.

"Ariadne?" he called out as her apartment looked untidy. Her sketch book was on the dinning room table and her school work was spread out. He went from room to room, but he knew he wouldn't find her.

It was possible she had gone to the solarium or tried to explore some more. But that hadn't been her way lately.

He was quick to pull out his cell phone and call the front desk.

"George, Ariadne is absent from her apartment, have you seen her?" he asked when the front desk picked up.

"No, sir. No one has been though here in hours. I'll check security cameras." he said as Arthur found the chest of draws in her bedroom. On top lay a copy of her contract and the check made out to her for $5,000. He looked around her apartment to see if she had taken anything practical, and saw her band sweat shirt was missing along with her coat. He also discovered the orchid he had given her, which had sat so proudly on the mantle, was also missing. She hadn't taken their money, most of her things or even her sketch book. It was clearly a message.

"George?" he called the front desk. "We have an elopement. Lock down the building."

~ It took weeks for Ariadne to stop having panic attacks. She was always afraid cars were coming down the driveway to come and get her. She had to remember to breath as her hands went to her enlarging belly at the sound of Cobb or Miles driving up.

_'You're safe_.' she would tell herself. _'You're safe._'

Cobb had said she could stay as long as she needed to. It was convenient for him to have a built in baby sitter in Ariadne. The children seemed to like her, but they lived and breathed int her own world of playing outside and rarely needed her except when there were cuts to doctor or food to eat.

She had forgotten about school. A thing that was once so important ot her, now held no interest at all. She might go back, but then again, she might not. She had thought her world would end if she left school, and was pleased it hadn't. Her world had just changed.

She would buy groceries each day for them and always got something for her box on each trip. Her box was her guilty secret. It started out as a shoe box, then had grown to taking up a whole dresser drawer in the hallway.

She had bought little travel sized baby lotion and powder, cute bibs and finally, a few jumpers for a newborn. She had no idea what to get to prepare herself. Cobb told her James and Phillipa had plenty of clothes, cribs and other things left over she could have. But she loved the smell of baby lotions and soaps and couldn't resist collecting them.

"Are you hunting for a boy or girl?" Cobb teased when she was hiding some recently bought gender neutral blankets that were so soft, she wished her little one was already here.

"I'm sorry, Cobb." she breathed as she knew she had to explain her hoard. "I know you gave me the money for groceries."

"It's alright." he laughed. "Mal was ten times worse than you. You don't need to hide it, Ariadne. It's good you're getting ready. But do you want a boy or a girl?"

"Healthy." she said honestly.

"Healthy is good." he agreed. "Healthy is all that matters."  
"It's not all that matters." she sighed.

"You and the little one are welcome to live with us as long as you need to. It's working out fine and you won't be a burden." he told her.

She looked at the Orchid on her night stand in her bedroom.

"I have to go back to New York and find Ellen Walsh. Try to talk to some of the girls who were forced to give up their babies if I can. I need to know what is really happening at the Demeter." she said and stood under her already heavy body.

"Back to New York? Ariadne, they'll be looking for you to." Cobb told her.

"I need to know things from other women who went though this. I need to know if those other girls were victims or not. I have to find out what was done to them." she said.

"If they find you, I won't be able to help." Cobb said.

"I'll be careful." she told him.


	18. Chapter 18

18.

~ Cobb loaned her a truck to make the drive across the boarder again. It had been three months since she had set foot in New York or contacted any of her friends from her old life.

It was like she vanished once she entered into Arthur's contract. She disappeared in the luxury of the Demeter and finally escaped to Canada with a new identity. The person coming back out was a new person entirely. As if she was crawling out of a cocoon and seeing the world in a new light.

This made her feel brave as she drove into the city and brazenly past the elegant park avenue address.

No one stopped her and she craned her neck out the window to see if she could spot Arthur in the crowds, but the faces were all a blur.

~ Ellen Walsh was the sister of the late pianist, Emily Walsh. From everything Arthur had ever told her about himself and where he had come from. Ariadne surmised that Emily was his mother. The time matched and so did the fact that she played piano well enough to make a career out of it.

When Ariadne called her, she pretended to be a reporter doing a story on contemporary women in music for a magazine.

"It's so charming to have such lovely company." Ellen said as she handed Ariadne a cup of tea. "You're still working in the field in your condition dear?"

Ariadne ran a hand over her obvious belly. At almost six months, her condition was no longer avoidable.

"The little one isn't due for a while." Ariadne laughed and wondered if it would be rude to make a grab for some of the cookies Ellen had put out for her.

"I never had any children. Never even married." Ellen sighed. "My sweetheart, Tom, died in a car accident a few years before Emily went."

"I'm sorry." Ariadne said sadly.

"Yes, Emily was my baby sister. There was almost ten years between us. I felt I was more her mother than her sister. After mother and daddy passed, I took care of her. She was only twelve at the time. She had gifts at an early age for music." Ellen said and handed Ariadne a photograph of a teenage girl with a trendy hair style from almost 40 years ago sitting at a piano.

She knew Emily had to be Arthur's mother then. He had her nose and eyes exactly. Even their hands were large and graceful as Emily smiled that same smile that made her eyes crinkle.

She ignored the flutter of kicks going off in her stomach that felt like popcorn popping.

"I wanted to talk to you about some things Emily said a few years before she died." Ariadne told Ellen.

"Such as?" Ellen asked.

"The... the Demeter." Ariadne said and swallowed hard.

Ellen looked down at her tea cup.

"I knew it the second I saw you. You're from the Demeter aren't you? You escaped somehow?" Ellen asked.

"Yes." Ariadne breathed.

"Emily wasn't a prostitute." Ellen told her sternly. "But she was in a bad way for money back then. She was in school, I was in no position to help her, and it was all I could do to take care of myself. One day, she tells me she had made plans to finish school and would be gone for a year." Ellen said and looked sad.

"I thought it was some kind of teaching job. That's how stupid I was. Less than a year later, Emily was back with money to burn. She bought herself a new car and clothes. But she was different somehow." Ellen said.

"Later, she told me about what happened. How she... she had had a baby. A boy, they told her, and she had agreed to give it up. I thought it was a test tube baby for the longest time. Some kind of paid science experiment for childless couples. That kind of thing was brand new at the time you see." Ellen told her. "But she confessed that she had actually been with a man. How he had blindfolded her and forced her to have his child. She had agreed because she need the money and he promised her it would have a good home." Ellen looked at her tea cup and not at Ariadne. "She tried to get her son back. Spent every last dime in lawyers to even get to see him. Nothing could be done. She wasn't even on the birth certificate and she had no rights. She became so depressed, when they called me to say she was dead, I wasn't surprised." Ellen finished.

"She had a son." Ariadne offered. "They named him Arthur. He still lives at the Demeter."

She ran a hand over her large belly and Ellen realized why she was even here at all.

"Oh dear." the older woman whispered.

~ "After Emily died, I started to do a little detective work of my own." Emily said as she spread out scrap books over the dinning room table. Ariadne leafed through police reports about young women claiming to have been forcefully held at the Demeter, raped while blindfolded, and forced to give up the resulting baby.

She was shocked at the similarities in many of the stories. The purple blindfold, the fact that they was kept well fed during their stay.

"Some of these go all the way back to the turn of the century. The victims were never able to identify their attackers because of the blindfold. I think many of them were drugged, but Emily insisted that she was well treated by the man who fathered her child." Ellen said.

"I was well treated." Ariadne whispered and read a report of a twenty year old young woman in the depression who agreed to reside at the Demeter and found herself a prisoner.

_**~ 1934 ~**_

_**Officer:** Were you beaten there by anyone?_

_**Jane Doe:** No, sir. They were very nice. _

_**Officer:** You said they made you have sex with them._

_**Jane Doe:** No one made me, sir and it was only one man._

_**Officer:** What did he look like?_

_**Jane Doe:** He made me wear a blindfold before... well, before we did it._

_**Officer:** Did he tie you up? Hurt you?_

_**Jane Doe:** I agreed to have sex with him when he told me to... I had nowhere else to go and they gave me a place to stay and good food to eat. I was scared not to be with him, sir._

_**Officer:** Did he rape you?_

_**Jane Doe:** Not exactly, sir. I found out I was in a family way after a while and he stopped coming to see me. A doctor came, to make sure I was alright. The never let me leave that apartment except to go to the little park. I was there for almost a year. I had my little girl right there in the apartment and the doctor took her before I could even see her. Said I could rest for a few days but then I had to leave. I thought he would bring her right back to me, but he didn't. Another man gave me money. Enough to get back on my feet with, and I took it. I just want my girl back, Officer._

~ Ariadne blinked back tears at the young girl's story.

"Yes, no one would listen to a bunch of young girls who admitted to having sex for money. It was different times back then. An unmarried mother? Might as well wear a scarlet letter. No one was going to help them. Taking babies from unwed mothers was thought to be helping them and no one wanted to question the families that lived in the Demeter. Many of them practically run this city, then and now." Ellen sighed.

"But now... I mean, these stories have gone on for years. No one puts it together what's happening?" Ariadne said looking over news articles.

"Like I said, the girls were afraid to tell people. The ones who did were shamed for being loose women and having a baby with no husband. I don't know why there isn't some kind of investigation. Unless there is some sort of cover up." Ellen said.

The older woman looked at Ariadne as she shifted in her chair and tried to get more comfortable.

"It's Emily's son. He's the one who got you in this condition." Ellen said.

Ariadne nodded.

"What is he like?"

"Very nice. Handsome, smart." she smiled. "A very good piano player."

"Why did you want to escape?" Ellen asked

"I didn't want to give my baby up. Arthur stopped coming to see me and I was scared." Ariadne said.

"They'll still be looking for you." Ellen told her as Ariadne broke out of her trance of memory and saw it was getting dark outside.

"You're right, I need to go." she said and stood.

"What will you do once the baby is born?" Ellen asked.

"Keep it. I'm staying with friends who want to help me." Ariadne said.

Ellen looked at her visitor for a long time. A sad little smile on her face.

"I'm glad you came to see me. I'm glad you were strong enough to leave and keep your baby. I wish my sister had half your courage." she said.

~ Ariadne had parked a good three blocks away from Ellen's apartment building. The parking in the city was horrible and the chill in the air didn't make the trek any easier. Her mind was swimming with thought of young girls trapped in the Demeter over the years. Were they tricked, seduced or raped? She knew Emily had willing parted with Arthur for money, so did many others. But what about the ones who were like her? Who didn't want to surrender their child when the time came?

She let out a long sigh and picked up the pace to the parking garage. The sooner she was out of New York and safely back with Cobb, the better.

She waited at a cross walk with a group of other pedestrians. Ten of them patiently waiting for the light to signal them to cross to the other side.

One out of ten chance the cab would hit her. But hit her it did, when the driver failed to stop. She was shocked that it didn't hurt. Not even when she rolled over the hood and roof of the cab. Not even when she landed on her back on the street and people were screaming for help.

"Oh my God! He hit that pregnant lady!" one woman cried.

An older gentleman was at her side in a second asking her her name and telling her she was alright.

"Call an ambulance!" a man cried.

"I'm okay." Ariadne groaned as she tried to sit up.

"Lay back down." the older man said gently as he coaxed her back. "It's pure adrenaline in you right now and you're not feeling any pain. Just lay back and let them come."


	19. Chapter 19

19.

~ She _did_ hurt later. Whoever was there to comfort her had been right; adrenaline had kept the pain away. Made her think she was alight. But as soon as she was in the ambulance, her back and knees started to hurt.

"Am I in labor?" she cried to the paramedic.

"Just breath." the woman said and fitted her with oxygen. "Deep breaths. How many weeks are you?"

She had to think.

"Um... I'm almost six months now." she said as it felt like she had been stabbed in the lower back. "Am I in labor?" she cried again.

"We're going to take good care of you." the woman said as the ambulance drove her to a hospital.

~ She didn't remember anything else except blurring lights and pain. The hospital was crowded and noisy and she was scared.

Then a doctor saw her, his hands were strong and gentle and he seemed like the kind of man who knew best.

"You're not in labor." he told her. "We've given you medicine to make sure you won't have your baby too soon."

"My baby." she repeated as she started to feel intensely sleepy. "It's _my_ baby. Don't let them take it."

"Of course it's your baby. Who would take it?" he asked as she felt herself drift.

"The Demeter. Arthur... they want to take my baby." she groaned and fell asleep.

~ She woke up in a private hospital bed. Her body was so sore, she could barely move without wincing in pain.

"You were very lucky." came a voice by her bed.

The accent wasn't American and Ariadne was slow to realize he wasn't from here.

'_Ireland?_' she thought as she looked at the handsome man in his thirties with a charming smile. '_Somewhere over there_.' she thought stupidly.

"My name is Eames." he said helpfully as he drank coffee out of a Styrofoam cup. "How do you feel?"

"How... how do you think I feel?" she groaned. "I was hit by a cab."

He nodded and shrugged.

"My baby!" she gasped and her hands went to her belly. The roundness was there, but was it still alive after such a horrible accident.

"Don't worry. He's fine." Eames said helpfully. "They did a sonogram in the ER and he's heart is beating, nice and strong."

"He?" Ariadne asked.

"I'm so sorry." Eames said politely. "I thought you knew the gender."

"I didn't." she said and realized she was having a boy.

"Well, I am sorry." Eames said again. "But your son is going to be fine. I was there when they did the second sonogram and everything. You were sound asleep but you're little boy was wide awake." he laughed.

"Who are you?" she asked as she ran a hand over her belly and wished her 'son' would give her a kick to let her know he was alright.

"Where are my manners? I'm special Agent Charles Eames with with FBI." he said and showed her his badge.

Ariadne took it from him rudely and looked at the picture. Eames was handsome even in government ID pictures, it wasn't fair.

"FBI?" she asked. "Why are you here?"

"You told the doctor you were scared someone was going to take your baby." Eames said. "Something about the Demeter."

Ariadne had to bite her lip to keep from telling Eames everything. He was looking at her with that nice, expressive face of his. Waiting for her to tell him. His eyes saying: '_Tell me, tell me anything you want. I'll believe you, I won't judge. Tell me what happened, I'm your friend and I want to help you. Tell me your favorite color, your favorite movie. We can play desert island all day long. I've got nothing else better to do, and there is nowhere I'd rater be.'_

She looked at her belly instead of him and tried to will her son to kick.

"Are you sure he's alright?" she asked.

"I can have the tech come back and give you another sonogram if you want. I don't mind. Takes me back to when my son was on his way." Eames said.

"You have a little boy?" Ariadne asked. She was interested in him all the sudden.

"Oh yes. It scares me how much I love that kid." Eames said with a smirk.

"How old is he?" Ariadne asked.

"Five." Eames said proudly fishing in his wallet and pulling out a picture.

She looked at a happy looking little blond boy in a Batman costume sitting on Eames' shoulders. The little boy clearly overjoyed to be with his dad.

She felt tears sting her eyes as her own son finally kicked inside her.

"He wanted to be Batman, and I dressed up as Bane for Halloween last year." Eames said.

"Sounds like fun." Ariadne said and gave him the picture back.

"Well, I had put on some weight and I couldn't fit into the cat woman suit." Eames shrugged.

Ariadne laughed and winced in pain.

"You alright?" Eames asked worriedly.

"Yes." she sighed as she tried to relax her body. "I just... I can't believe that cab hit me. Am I going to be alright?"

"Yes. Just a few cuts and deep bruising. You'll be released in a few hours in fact. They want to make sure you can walk and all." he said.

"That's good." she sighed.

"Are people expecting you? Is there anyone I can call?" he asked.

"Oh... my friend, his name is Cobb." Ariadne said. "I don't know his number. It's on the cell phone he gave me."

"EMT's didn't recover any cell phone. Someone must have stolen it." Eames said.

"It's okay." she said.

"Ariadne, tell me why you think someone is trying to take your baby. The doctor was very worried." Eames asked again.

The sympathetic, kind look was back on Eames face.

"I... I'm this baby's mother. It's _my_ baby." she told him sternly.

"I won't argue with that." Eames said.

"I had... I had a … a relationship... with the father." she said calmly.

Eames nodded. His eyes saying '_Naturally. Go on._'

"He... um, he's trying to take my son from me. Legally take him from me." Ariadne whispered.

"He's suing for primary custody?" Eames asked.

"Not yet." she told him. "I... I sighed a contract saying I would give him the baby after it was born. This was arranged before conception"

"You're a surrogate?" Eames asked. His voice was gentle and didn't judge.

"Yes." Ariadne whispered.

"You had a relationship with this man. It wasn't artificial insemination?"

"No." she said and her face went hot again.

Eames looked troubled and he tired to understand.

"Alright. So, how did you meet? How was this arranged?" he asked.

"It started off as egg donation. A man, Richard, offered me more money to do surrogacy. I thought it would be in a lab, I didn't read the contract carefully. Then, this man Arthur came and..." she looked away from Eames.

"What happened?" Eames asked. "Did he hurt you?"

"No. I was willing. For the money I was willing." she whispered and felt ashamed. "He treated me well. He... I liked him a lot and I..."

"I understand." Eames whispered. "So, now you've changed your mind about giving up the baby."

"Yes."

"Well, there is no legal precedence for this." Eames sighed. "At least, none that I know of. If this had been artificial insemination, or something where the child wasn't you're biological offspring..." he sighed. "You had a relationship with the father and that will give him rights. But as the mother, it's your baby."

"So, he can't legally take it from me?" she asked.

"I don't think any contract would hold up in court the way you described it. If an agreement like that was done before conception, it sounds like prostitution to me." Eames said.

"I'm not-"

"I know you're not." Eames said kindly. "Did you take any money from him, this … Arthur person?"

"He gave me a check and I left it at the Demeter." Ariadne said.

"The Demeter." Eames nodded.

"Agent Eames, the Demeter..." Ariadne breathed. "It's a cult they bring women in and steal their babies. I've found out they've been doing it for decades."

"It's alright." Eames said soothingly. "We're going to get you out of here and take you to our safe house. We're going to have you give a statement and make sure you're safe."

"Please don't let them take my baby." Ariadne whispered as Eames stood up.

He took her hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze.

"Ariadne, I'm going to do my best to protect you." he said.

~ A few hours later, she was released. Her body was still hurting and a nurse had to help her dress. Her back hurting her so badly she couldn't even put on her shoes.

Eames stood outside her room and she was reassured and felt safe with him. He seemed like the knight in shining armor from a fairy take as he helped her to her wheel chair and pushed her out to his car.

"Don't worry, the safe house has cable TV." he teased as he buckled her in. "All you have to do is sit back and relax till the little one comes."

He took her chart from the nurse and drove her into the city.

Ariadne relaxed in the car next to Eames. Finally feeling comforted. A government man was involved and the government would protect her from the Demeter. She trusted Eames would help her and her baby. He was a father who loved his child. He knew how scared she must be.

"I'm sorry, all this must be taking you away from your wife and son just now." Ariadne said as it started to rain.

Eames maneuvered his car safely into another lane.

"No wife." he said casually. "I share custody of Tommy with his mum."

"Oh." Ariadne said surprised and her heart beat a little faster.

'_Pregnancy hormones._' she told herself. The last thing she needed was to fall for another man.

"Yes, I know. But his mother and I are good friends who happen to have a child together." he explained. "It works better for us this way. We can help each other out, but still have our independence and freedom. I know it's not traditional, but you have to do what works sometimes."

"I'm about to be a single mother." Ariadne sighed. "I know all about saying no to tradition."

"Well, it's not easy." Eames said. "Rising a baby on your own. Will your friend help you? This Cobb person?"

"Yes. I've been living with him since I escaped."

"Where is he?" Eames asked.

Ariadne bit her lip hard as her heart raced.

"Are we on Park Avenue?" she asked as she recognized the street.

"Where is Cobb, Ariadne?" Eames asked as he slowed the car and was waved into a parking garage that was attached to the beautiful facade of the Demeter.

He had betrayed her; taken her back into the lion's den. Back to all she had escaped from.


	20. Chapter 20

20.

~ Arthur tried to enjoy the party. It was another elegant reception in the ball room to celebrate the fifteen couples that had successfully conceived and made it past the first six months.

The elders had an elaborate ceremony to give their blessings to the mothers and soon to be babies. Each mother-to-be was congratulated and praised as the fathers-to-be were largely ignored and only given handshakes from other men.

The men and women rarely spoke to one another and the couples who were expecting ignored each other completely. The taboo of being around each other after conception was something they were raised to avoid.

Arthur was forced to come to this party by his father.

"We have our Mr. Eames on the case." Richard had said when Arthur protested. "He's the best man for this kind of work."

"Ariadne won't be there." Arthur insisted. "This is for the mothers-to-be, It's a blessing ceremony."

"You conceived a child with this girl. You have done your part and you are worthy in the eyes of the elders. Her running away, probably to get an abortion, is no failing on you, son." Richard had said.

His father's words held no comfort for him as he sipped non-alcoholic champagne in the ball room by himself. His black tuxedo was crisp and perfect as the other party goers were likewise dressed well.

Arthur looked like the odd man out among hie peers. He had no one here who he shared a connection with. The other men, fathers-to-be, would steal little glances at the girls who were proudly showing. Pleased smiles would come to their faces at seeing that they had accomplished their duty and proven their place in the group. The mothers were content with the secret knowledge of women who would be mothers. A thing men could never understand.

Arthur had no one to steal glances at. Misery was his only company.

"My, my, Arthur. Don't we look lonely?" a voice came to him. Arthur turned to see Wendy. A very pretty young woman his father had been pushing him to be with next time. Wendy was pregnant with her second now, and she had given birth to her first with little trouble. She and her sisters were exactly what the Demeter wanted in mothers. Healthy, smart and knew their role and responsibility.

"Where is this outsider girl? What was her name?" Wendy asked as she ran a hand over her ripe belly. Teasing Arthur with the fact that Ariadne was absent.

"I've come alone tonight." Arthur told her and looked away. He tried to focus his attention on something, anything, else.

"Yes, I heard about her. Ariadne, was it? Well, such a dreadful thing can only be expected from an outsider. I'm sure she's had it 'take care of'." Wendy sighed sadly. "That's what they do, isn't it? Outsiders? They don't respect the sacred promise of motherhood let alone the father. Don't understand the connection. They only see a burden. You know, it's never felt like a burden to me." she added.

"How nice for you." Arthur said grimly.

"You mustn't blame yourself. You did you part. More than adequately, I'm sure." Wendy told him.

"Humm." Arthur said and pretended not to care.

"When this one is born, and the elders pronounce me ready again, I hope you'll keep me in mind. I think we would do very well together." she told him.

Arthur didn't look at her.

"I think after all this sadness, you deserve a little happiness." Wendy told him. "You deserve a child, properly born to a woman who understands these things."

Arthur wasn't listening, his father had come into the room and looked out of breath.

"Excuse me." he said and left Wendy.

"Arthur." Richard said in a harassed whisper. "It's Eames, he's found Ariadne and is bringing her back now."

Arthur felt his heart jump, and followed his father out of the ball room.

"Is she alright?" the younger man asked. So many months she was gone, anything could have happened to her.

"He says she'll be fine." Richard said.

"Is she still pregnant?" Arthur asked. He felt himself shake as he worried the answer would be 'no'.

"She is." Richard said. "But I need to tell you something first."

"What?"

"She was in an accident. That's how he was able to find her." Richard said calmly as they rode the elevator down to the parking garage.

"What kind of an accident?" Arthur barked.

"She's going to be fine and the baby is going to be fine." Richard said calmly. "But she was hit by a cab crossing the street. Eames picked her up from the hospital."

"What?" Arthur almost shouted as the lift came to a halt in the parking garage.

"She is alright." Richard assured his only child. "Just a few cuts and bruises. They did a sonogram at the hospital and the baby's heartbeat is strong."

"I need to see her."

"You need to stay calm, Arthur. She didn't want to come back at all. Eames called me and told me Dom Cobb helped her escape." Richard said.

~ Ariadne sat in the passenger side of Eames' car.

"Are we going to live here?" Eames asked as he pushed a wheelchair to her side of the car. Tempting her to get out.

There were not locks on the car's doors, he could have gotten her out if he wanted to, but he seemed to respect the fact that she didn't want to leave the car. A feeling of safety was there. In the car, she could hold onto the delusion of leaving the Demeter. Leaving the car meant that she was truly back in the Demeter. The guards from the lobby were standing off to the side; trying not to glare at her.

"Don't mind them. They just want to make sure you don't beat me up." Eames teased.

"I want to." she said meekly and kept her seat-belt on.

"Arthur is coming down to see you." Eames said soberly.

"You lied to me." Ariadne accused.

"I never lied."

"You said you were a federal agent. That you could help me. I trusted you."

"I am a federal agent." he told her. "I'm also a son of the Demeter. My mother and father took me away when I was very young. I grew up in England and never felt like that was my home. I found my way back to this place when I was a teenager. I belong here, and your child belongs here to."

"My child belongs with me." she growled.

"I know... I know you must feel that way. It's normal for a a girl like you to feel attached." Eames said soothingly.

"Mr. Eames?" came a deep voice.

Ariadne gasped as she recognized the voice and saw Arthur in the parking garage.

"Arthur." Eames said and stood up.

"Wait, don't!" Ariadne hissed as part of her still wanted to trust Eames. Still thought he might protect her.

"She'll be fine. Richard told you about the accident?" Eames said casually.

"Yes." Arthur said coldly as he eyed Ariadne in the car.

She instinctively clutched her belly. Her hands trying desperately to protect her child.

"Doctors advise her to rest for a few days. She's a little sore from the accident." Eames went on as he handed Arthur her file from the hospital. "She doesn't seem to want to leave the car just yet."

Both men looked at Ariadne who stubbornly stayed in the car.

"I wouldn't try and force her, she's been though a lot." Eames said gently.

"Thank you, Mr. Eames." Arthur said in that detached way of his.

Eames nodded and walked over to Ariadne. Her window was down a crack for air and she glared at him.

"You are better off here, darling." he said softly. "I'm sorry you don't feel the same way."

"You're a bastard." she snarled.

Eames shrugged.

"We're all bastards at the Demeter." he said as walked away.

~ Ariadne felt her pulse race to the point it was painful as Arthur walked over to her and sat in the wheelchair. They had the car door and window separating them, but he was still closer that she liked.

She felt real sense of fear prick at her as she looked away.

Arthur was looking over her hospital chart.

"You were hit by a cab?" he asked softly.

"I'm fine." she said stubbornly.

"You were lucky. I'll have Yuseff give you a check up once you're back in the apartment." Arthur told her.

Ariadne took a deep breath. Yuseff was still there. That means he wasn't blamed for her disappearance.

"Are you going to stay in the car all night?" Arthur asked.

"Yes. Go away." she told him.

"I've been very worried about you. You vanished into thin air and we didn't know if you were alive or dead." he said soothingly.

"I told you I'm fine."

She didn't look at him as he read.

"Doctor said the heartbeat is strong, that's good." Arthur said. "You were very lucky the cab didn't kill the both of you."

His brow furrowed into a scowl.

"Boy?" he breathed.

He looked at her, his face in shock as she looked away.

"We're having a boy?" he asked in a whisper.

"_We_ are not having anything." she snapped at him. "This is my child."

"I have a contract that would disagree." Arthur told her curtly.

"I never took your money." she hissed. "Contract is void if I don't accept payment."

"Cashing the check is irrelevant." Arthur said dryly as he closed her chart.

Ariadne realized she had to pee and shifted uncomfortably.

"You also broke the confidentiality when you spoke to Eames about the Demeter." Arthur told her.

"I thought Eames was a member of your cult." she said.

"At the time you told him about us, you thought he was a federal agent." Arthur said. "He is with the FBI, we find it's good to have members in government. Helps to keep us from gaining too much attention. Still, we were not prepared for you. Or Mr. Cobb." Arthur said.

She wouldn't rise. Wouldn't say a word about Cobb. He had helped her when no one else would and she would not betray him.

"I have to go to the bathroom." she said and let out a sigh.

"Alright." Arthur said and stood up out of her wheelchair. "I'll take you back to your apartment. We've kept it up in case you came back."

"I'm not going there." she told him.

"Where then? Homeless shelter? Where would you go that we can't find you?" Arthur asked.

She shook her head in hopeless furry as tears swam in her eyes. It was true. She had a little money for gas back to Canada. She couldn't leave however. They would track her and find Cobb, Miles and the children.

"I'm not going back to that apartment." she told him resolutely.

"Alright." he said. "We can go to my apartment."

"No." she told him.

"I don't think Mr. Eames will want you to stay in his car forever." Arthur said casually.

He let out a long sigh as she felt ready to cry from frustration.

"You look nice." she said as she let out a choked back sob.

Instantly, with one fluid motion, he handed her a white, silk handkerchief from his lapel. A peace offering, a reminder that he was a gentleman.

She took it gratefully and tried to hide her shameful tears.

"Why are you so dressed up?" she cried as she doubted she had ever see him look nicer, and hated herself for thinking he was handsome.

"It's for a reception ball. All the expectant mothers were given the blessings of the elders tonight and were honored at a party after the ceremony." he told her.

She nodded and tried to clean her face free of tears.

"Not the kind of thing outsiders would be invited to." she said bitterly.

"You would have come with me tonight." Arthur told her easily. "You left, so I had to go alone."

"Well, you look very nice." she said carefully as she was sure she looked horrible in comparison. She wasn't exactly dressed and ready to stand next to him right now.

She had to do a double take as she caught Arthur grinning at her. He was still seated in the wheelchair Eames had brought for her. His hand covering his mouth so she wouldn't see the smile he was trying to hide. But his eyes revealed he was trying very hard not to laugh.

"I think you look wonderful." he said.

She let out a long sigh. They both realized her crying fit was over and he stood and opened the car door for her.

"Let's go back to my place." he said and she took his hand.


	21. Chapter 21

21.

~ Ariadne was still hurting from her accident as Arthur pushed her in the wheelchair past the lobby and to the bank of elevators. She could hear music playing and caught a brief glance of people in fine evening wear inside one of the large ballrooms.

"Aren't you going back to your party?" she asked as he rode up the elevator with her. His large hands going to his bow tie and carelessly pulling it off. His body relaxing as he loosened his formal shirt collar.

"It's a good excuse to call it a night." he said and leaned against the elevator wall looking as handsome as a fashion model at a shoot.

Ariadne had to remind herself that she was mad at him. She had to remind herself of all the bad things that was coming to her now that she was back at the Demeter.

"Arthur," she said boldly as the lift dinged to their floor and he started to push her out.

"Yes?" he asked and unlocked his front door.

"I'm still hurt from the accident..." she said and swallowed hard. "And I'm six months pregnant. I know you're mad but... " she tired to think of a nice way to tell him she didn't want to fight.

"I'm not mad at you, Ariadne." he said gently as he turned on the lights and wheeled her to his room. "I understand why you left."

"I just, I don't want you to hit me... or... or anything like that." she told him.

"You think I would do that?" he asked.

She let out a sigh as he wheeled her to the bathroom. Her was bladder crying out to be emptied as she admired the modern fixtures that perfectly blended with the rest of his apartment.

"Do you need help?" he asked as she put the breaks on her chair and slowly stood. She was still in a lot of pain and had to convince herself to breath as she hobbled to the toilet.

"I can manage." she laughed. "Just shut the door."

~ She was able to use the bathroom and clean up a little on her own before hobbling out to find Arthur cooking in his gourmet kitchen. Her body protested each movement, and she wanted to take the pain medicine the doctor had given her when she was released. She had made sure that the medication wouldn't hurt her son before taking it. The mother in her already coming out.

She watched Arthur cooking in his pristine kitchen. His black tux looking even more appealing now that the jacket was off and sleeves were rolled up. She wished she wasn't so sore, so bloated and uncomfortable right now. She wanted to be sexy for him.

He turned to see her walking slowly to him. His face pulling into a scowl.

"Hey, why aren't you in the wheelchair?" he scolded.

"I'm fine." she said and tried to stand up strait to prove it.

"You're not fine, Ariadne. You were hit by a cab." he said.

"I'll just walk it off." she told him carelessly.

She tried not to smile as he looked angry.

"Sit down." he ordered and pulled out a chair for her.

She didn't want to admit how exhausted she was from the short walk. Or how she would need her pain medication soon. She sank into her chair and tried not to wince.

"Are you hungry?" he asked when he saw her face contorting in pain. His own scowl softening in pity.

"Starved." she told him. "I think I only ate some cookies at your aunt's house."

She very deliberately looked at Arthur as he turned to her in shock.

"What?" he asked in surprise.

"I went to see your mother's sister. Ellen Walsh." Ariadne told him.

Part of her was afraid now that she saw that look on Arthur's face.

"Ellen Walsh. What makes you think she's my aunt?" Arthur asked slowly.

"Because her sister, Emily, was your mother." Ariadne said as Arthur fixed her a plate of food. She took in the sight of nicely prepared rice with pineapple added for flavoring. There were also steamed veggies that made her mouth water. She had shamefully been eating normal food for the past few months and now the gourmet foods of the Demeter were like a siren song.

Arthur said nothing and pretended not to care.

"Emily Walsh was here, at the Demeter, in-" Ariadne started to explain before he cut her off.

"I know about Emily." he growled.

Not to be outdone, Ariadne glared at him. The smell of food waking up her appetite, but she didn't eat.

"So, you know she tried to get you back." she said. "You know she regretted giving you up and that they wouldn't even let her see you."

Arthur shook his head as if trying to block out all she was saying.

"You know she was so grief stricken over losing her only child that she shot herself." Ariadne said.

Arthur refused to look at her.

"You know what happened to Emily, what happened to all those other girls. You know how heartbroken they were over losing their babies." she said and she started to cry as she went on. "How could you put me through it?"

"As I recall..." Arthur said in a harsh tone. "You volunteered for this. You were given plenty of time to opt out. So were the other girls."

"Well I changed my mind." Ariadne said and didn't flinch as they met each other in the eye.

Finally, it was Arthur who broke away.

"What did Ellen tell you?" he asked as he made himself a plate to eat. He sat down next to her and it was like they were before. When they would share a meal together and were happy.

"She told me that Emily wanted you back. That no one would help her even see you." Ariadne said. She neglected to mention the part about Ellen gathering information about the Demeter and it's women.

"Ariadne, the truth is, that I wanted to be a father. In this place, here at the Demeter, you are less than a man if you have no children." he explained. "I was jealous of the other fathers here. I had been out in the world, but seeing how families could hurt one another so badly, I decided to come back. Here, there are no unwanted or unloved children. There are no horrible divorces or things like that."

"Yes, it's easy when you eliminate the mother." Ariadne said and stated eating.

"I wanted to be a father and not have to deal with all that came with having a mother around. I didn't want to mate with one of the women here. I wanted to have a family that was separate from the group. I wanted a child that was mine." he told her.

"I don't understand." she said softly.

"I thought you didn't want to be a mother, Ariadne." he sighed. "I chose you because you said you didn't want children. You have your whole life to have a family. Why is this one so important? We're not in love, we're not going to be together."

His words were so harsh, if felt like he had struck her.

~ They ate quietly. Ariadne politely praised him on his cooking as he made her take her pain medicine.

"I've been eating a lot of junk food." she told him as he helped her too stand up after they ate.

"When you're not getting hit by cars?" he asked and she could tell he didn't like the fact she ate poorly while expecting. She tormented him further.

"My first night of freedom, I ate a big hamburger." she sighed.

"You were never a prisoner here." Arthur told her.

"Yes I was. I still am." she said.

He had no response as he helped her walk to his bedroom.

~ His bed was as comfortable as she remembered, and she tried not to wince in pain as she sat down on the mattress. Her back hurting her terribly and her knees aching like she had been running all day.

"You don't plan to sleep in you clothes, do you?" he asked as she slowly kicked off her shoes.

Ariadne wondered how she would undress and what she would sleep in when he vanished into his closet and came back out with one of his old dress shirts.

"It's a bit torn and too big for you." he said as he helped her take off her shirt.

His large hands were gentle as she tried not to cry out in pain too much. Her body hurt so much just now and even undressing was a chore.

"Ariadne." Arthur said with an angry sigh.

She looked at him and his face was troubled.

She saw then what he was looking at. Her pale flesh was spotted with dark, deep bruising from her accident. The worst was her legs where the cab struck her. Her arms were also the focus of her accident. Only her large belly was spared injury.

"I must have protected him when the cab hit me." she explained as Arthur looked angry. "I really don't remember."

"This is why I wanted you safe. Why I wanted you here." he said and went to work unfastening her bra.

"Arthur." Ariadne protested as, with little effort, her undergarment was off and her breasts freed.

She tried to cover the body he knew so well as he helped her slip on his old dress shirt. Even buttoning it closed for her like she were a child.

"Thank you." she said weakly as he helped her into bed.

"Try to get some sleep." he said and covered her up. He stood and turned to go.

"Wait, you're not sleeping with me?" she asked in a childish voice.

He turned and gave her an amused smile.

"It's just, I just got out of the hospital. What if I need help?" she asked.

~ She felt giddy as Arthur prepared to join her in his own bed. She hoped her pain medication would kick in soon and that her legs and back would stop hurting. She hated to admit it, even to herself, but she had missed him. Missed him how comforting he could be. Missed the feel of his hands on her.

"I noticed you took the orchid with you, and not much else." Arthur said as he emerged from the bathroom.

Ariadne raised her eyebrows in surprise.

"You gave it to me. It was special." she said and ran a hand over her belly. "I left it on my night stand back at Cobb's." she confessed. "I didn't think I would be back here."

She saw Arthur smiling at her as he came to bed and climbed in.

"I'm glad you liked it so much. I can give you another one." he offered.

She shook her head.

"I ran away because you stopped coming to see me." she said as his arms were around her. His nose in her hair as she started to relax. Something about him was so comforting. So assuring that everything was going to be alright.

"I had to." he whispered. "We were becoming too close and it would have been harder for us when the time came."

"So you left me? Alone in that apartment?" she accused.

"I wanted to come back to you. I wanted the group to accept you so that you could stay with our son." he explained.

"_My_ son." she corrected.

"_Our_ son." he insisted.

Ariadne kicked at her blankets and felt ready to pout.

"I know we didn't plan on this." she whispered. "But I want to keep him."

"I know you do."

"Can we leave? Can we leave together and raise him? Just you and me?" she whispered.

"Good night, Ariadne." he said.


	22. Chapter 22

22.

~ Ariadne wasn't comforted by Arthur's words as much as she would have liked. He made her no promises as to what the future would hold and, that night, she dreamed of a baby crying.

She dreamed she was running down the empty hallways of the Demeter and searching for a child crying. An infant was screaming for help. She knew it was hers, her child was crying for her and she couldn't find him. Arthur wasn't there to help her search as the baby screamed for her.

~ "_Very_ strong heart beat." the Yuseff said happily as he and Ariadne avoided looking at each other. Their secret that he helped her escape lingered between them. She had been commanded to stay in bed by Arthur, and since she was still too sore from the accident, she didn't argue.

Rather, she liked the way he looked after her. Making her more comfortable in bed and almost pampering her.

"So he's okay?" Arthur asked with a deep scowl as Yuseff pulled the stethoscope from his ears.

"Very much so. The doctors in the hospital did a sonogram and pronounced him healthy. The heart beat is good. No reason to worry about the child." Yuseff said brightly.

Her turned to Ariadne and looked disapprovingly at the dark bruises to her legs.

"As for you, bed rest for at least a week. The accident could have been much worse." he said.

"A week?" Ariadne questioned.

"You can still use the bathroom, but no heroics." the doctor insisted.

"I can't stay in bed for a week." Ariadne laughed. Surely Yuseff was joking. He above all people understood that she needed to leave the Demeter before her baby was born.

"Don't worry, doctor. I'll look after her." Arthur told him.

~ Ariadne felt her breathing pick up as Arthur showed Yuseff out. She was glad no one suspected he had been the one to help her the first time. Maybe he could help her get out again. Cobb had to be worried sick about her now and here she was... right back where she started and too far along to escape like before.

Arthur returned to his bedroom and found her looking worried, but with a smile plastered on her face in mock happiness.

"Are you hungry?" he asked as he sat next to her in bed, his palm going to her rounded stomach, but failing to touch her.

"Not really." Ariadne said as brightly as she could.

"I think I'll make you some toast at least. Maybe you could eat some oranges?" he offered.

"That's fine." she sighed.

He was standing to leave when she called him back.

"Arthur?"

He turned.

"I meant what I said last night. I want to keep my child. I want to leave the Demeter." she said in a nervous voice.

Arthur didn't look at her, but nodded and left to get her breakfast.

~ She relaxed and slept most of the day. It was peaceful here in his home as she knew he was there to take care of her. She didn't feel so lonely or so hopeless now. Arthur left her alone and she could always faintly hear him playing piano in the living room. Their son was more active during those times and seemed to want to kick her more when she heard Arthur play.

~ Hours later, she woke up and realized the apartment was still and knew she was alone. Her body cried out in discomfort from her accident as she tried to sit up.

She had to take deep breaths to make her body relax as she put on Arthur's bathrobe and left the bed to look for him. Even Arthur's robe was rich and heavy on her petite body, and smelled of nice aftershave.

His apartment was the same as always. Beautiful, clean and perfect. She felt a little sneaky for being in his home without him there, like an intruder.

_'This would be the perfect chance to rummage through his medicine cabinets and look at his browser history._' she thought gleeful as she sat at his piano and stuck a few keys. She had no intention of doing those things. Arthur knew almost all there was to know about her, her medical reports, her grades. Yet, she knew very little about him. Except he could grow orchids, played the piano, was a lawyer, his mother was dead. And he was apart of the great mystery of the Demeter.

"Careful." came a voice from across the room.

Ariadne yelped at the stranger's voice and was quick to cover herself better with the robe.

Richard was sitting on on of the expensive leather chairs watching her imperiously. She hadn't seen him when she wandered into the living room. How long had he been there?

"Yuseff said you're still recovering from you accident. We don't want you to hurt yourself further. I could have sworn he said bed rest for you." the older man scolded.

"Where's Arthur?" Ariadne asked as she stood up and clutched the bath robe closer to her body.

"My son has taken the day off of work to care for you, but he's on an errand. I wanted to have word alone with you. Before any rash decisions were made." Richard said sternly.

Ariadne almost asked what he was talking about, but said nothing. She sensed she wasn't supposed to talk just now.

"Arthur has told me you want to leave the Demeter and take his son with you. That you have changed your mind and want to back out of the contract." Richard said. "I suspect that is the reason you left us in the first place. Let me tell you, there will be no need for any dramatic escapes now. If you want to leave, I will have a driver take you anywhere you wish. Today if you want. You never took the money, and if it is your goal in life to be a single mother, than who are we to stand in the way?"

Richard looked impressed with himself and Ariadne felt ashamed somehow.

"Arthur-" she started to say.

"Will not help you." Richard interrupted her. "According to the contract you signed, my son is noting but a sperm donor in the eyes of the law. He can not, and will not be compelled to pay any kind of child support. If you've come here looking for a convenient payday, you're very much mistaken. We've dealt with women like you before and we know how to handle them. You will be cut off, Ariadne. Not a cent to your name, no father to put on the birth certificate. You won't be able to finish school with a baby and I doubt you'll be able to find a boyfriend who wants to datie a single mother." Richard said in with his superior air.

"You'll most likely go on some kind of government assistance program, food stamps, welfare, medicaid." Richard sighed. "Living in a run down apartment as you work two jobs to keep yourself going. Maybe a cleaning woman at night." he offered helpfully.

"You can't imagine how expensive babies are." he laughed. "Even when they're potty trained, there is daycare to think about. Your son will be in day care when he's barely a month old. We all know what happens to children who's parents are not there for them during those first critical months and years. What if he develops some kind of emotional problems? ADD, ADHD? He won't be able to attend normal classes. He would have to be in special classes and go on behavior medications. He might not even graduate high school. Then, you would have failed as a mother and all this would have been for nothing."  
Richard let out a sigh as he finished his lecture.

"I know." he said softly. His voice gentle and kind. She was reminded of Arthur with the way he talked just now. "You girls only think about how cute a baby will be. But you have you're whole life to think about. Is it worth throwing your whole life away on a child who won't have a father there to support the both of you? You want to condemn your child to live in poverty? You are a very smart girl, Ariadne. I want you to think about what will happen if you keep this child. If you do this selfish thing."

Ariadne held her hand to her chest. Richard was right when he said all she thought about was a cute newborn who she would love. But what would happen when they left the Demeter? Cobb was in Canada, and she couldn't go back to him. They would find him through her if she went back too soon.

What if she couldn't find work? How would she pay for daycare? How would she take care of herself and a child without Arthur's support? What if her son developed some kind of problems later on and had to go to special classes or needed counseling? These were things she hadn't thought of until Richard brought them up.

"I know you think Arthur loves you." Richard sighed. "But he doesn't. He's taking care of you now because he feels an obligation to you. He want's what is best for you because of the baby. Not because of any romantic feelings towards you."

She opened her mouth to argue. She was sure Arthur cared about her. He was protective and kind to her.

"He takes care of you because you're carrying his son." Richard said. "No other reason."

Richard's words were like a dagger in her heart. She watched him leave then. Her spirit was wounded, bleeding and dieing.

~ Arthur hadn't realized his father had been in his apartment till they met at the front door.

"What are you doing here?" Arthur accused as he shifted a heavy sack of groceries. He had gotten Ariadne some fresh vegetables for dinner tonight. He was annoyed she had been eating fast food during her long absence, and even suspected she did it to spite him.

"I was speaking with Ariadne. I wanted to hear her side of things before you two made any final decisions that could not be undone." Richard told him.

"Dad, I care about her. If she wants to leave the Demeter, then I will to." Arthur said.

"Arthur, I know you are only looking after her because that's your baby. Please remember she is an outsider. Eames came back to us when he knew his place and you will to. I know this girl has you confused-"

"Dad, I love her. When she was gone, I grieved for her. I want her and my son to have a home with me. If that means away from the Demeter, and on our own, then so be it." Arthur said.

"Well, we shall see what she decides and when the baby is born." Richard said coldly. "She may not want to be with you, Arthur. I mean, she ran away once, right?"

~ Arthur made spaghetti with homemade tomato sauce. Ariadne tried to eat, but she wanted to cry as they sat in bed and watched an old movie.

"Are you in pain?" he asked as he muted Rick telling Louie this was the start of a beautiful friendship.

"No, I'm fine." she said sadly as she tried to make herself eat.

"If you're in pain we need to give you your medication." he said and sat down his plate.

"I'm fine." she told him more directly. "I'm just... just tired is all."

"My dad came to see you." Arthur asked dryly.

"Yes." she said and swallowed the now cold spaghetti. Eating was too much work just now.

"What did he say to you?" he asked.

"Nothing much. Told me I could leave the Demeter if I wanted to, I could be on my own." she said and tried not to start crying again.

"You can." he told her. "If that's what you want."

"Say I left, what would happen then?" she asked.

"You would have the baby." Arthur said dimly. "I wouldn't sue you if that's what you're worried about."

"I see." she said.

"Did you get enough to eat?" he asked.

"Yes." she said. Her appetite gone as she knew Richard had been right. Arthur only care about the baby and not her. If he cared about her, he would have said so by now. Not kept his distance like he was doing. He refused to comfort her, refused to make any plans with her. He would let her go and everything Richard had described, would happen.

"I'm really tired." Ariadne sighed.

"We can go to bed." Arthur said and took their plates.

"I think I might want to sleep alone tonight." she said as she shifted under the covers and winced in pain.

"Are you sure?" Arthur asked. His face questioning.

"Yes." she said.

They looked at each other for a long time. Each of them waiting for the other to say something, anything, that would alleviate their fears.


	23. Chapter 23

23.

~ Ariadne was grateful to finally be off bed rest. Arthur had wanted her to stay with him until the baby was born, but after Richard's visit, she was quick to move back to her old apartment and away from him.

She had been surprised to find Arthur had been busy on her behalf while she was away. Her sketch books had been meticulously photocopied and sent out to publishers. Several of who had already written back offering her work.

Arthur had found people willing to pay her to illustrate books for them. They pay wasn't very much and it was inconsistent, but it was a start.

He had even gone a step farther and had her sketches laid out in a professional portfolio.

"You didn't have to do this." Ariadne whispered as she read over the job offers.

"I missed you while you were away." he told her. "It kept me busy."

She tried not to smile. Tried to hide the pleasure she got from him saying he missed her. He was making it harder for her to go. How quickly she forgot everything that was wrong with the Demeter when she was with him.

~ "Arthur, I've been thinking." she said one evening as he was teaching her scales on the piano he got her.

"About?" he asked in that cold, professional way of his.

"I was thinking I should give the baby up." she said sadly.

He looked at her. A deep scowl marring his face.

"Is that what you and my father talked about?" he asked.

"Yes."

"What did he tell you? Did he threaten you?" Arthur asked.

"No, it's just, he's right, I can't take care of a baby on my own." she told him. "I wouldn't be fair to anyone. I am just being selfish." she said.

"Ariadne-." he whispered.

"I don't think it's right to keep him. I think it will be hard to give him up and never see him again... but..." she said numbly.

She sighed and tried to hold herself together, but her lower lip began to tremble.

"Ariadne, lets not decide anything yet. Things could change." Arthur told her.

~ "Hmm." Yuseff said as he passed the sonogram scanner over Ariadne's belly. A mass of black and white shadows jumping on the screen. It had been a few weeks since her accident, and Arthur suddenly insisted she go in for another sonogram.

"What? What is it? What's wrong?" She demanded sharply.

Yuseff rolled his eyes as he looked at the sonogram picture.

"I'm not sure." he said. "I want to run some more tests."

Ariadne tried to stay calm as Arthur looked anxious and worried.

"What kind of tests?" Arthur asked.

"It's just..." Yuseff squinted at the image on the screen carefully.

"What?" Arthur barked.

"A few inconsistencies on the sonogram. I can't say more than that." Yuseff told him.

"The baby is in danger?" Arthur asked.

"I never said that."

"Then why won't you tell us what's wrong?" Arthur asked.

"Arthur, there is nothing to worry about." Yuseff said with a sigh. "But I will need to talk to the elders about the baby."

"Why them and not me?" she asked.

"Everything will be fine." Yuseff promised.

~ "It's all that fast food I ate while I was away. All the growth hormones from the cows in burgers and chickens." Ariadne said.

"Ariadne, stop. Yuseff said the baby will be fine." Arthur sighed as he held her hand on the elevator.

She nodded and tried not to fidget. Tried not to throw a temper tantrum over the fact that her son might have problems.

"I'm just worried." she sighed. "With the cab accident and the baby... I'm just... I'm scared something will go wrong."

~ Arthur knew instantly that other people were in her home the second they walked through the door. The group of elders, his father included, were waiting for them in the cozy living room.

He could feel Ariadne tense at the sight of such stern, older men suddenly in her apartment unannounced or invited. Their suits, neatly pressed, and their expressions stern as they looked down on the pair of them.

"Arthur." Richard said and waved a hand for them to be seated. "Ariadne." he spoke her name as if he were fond of her.

"What's going on?" Arthur asked. Suspicion creeping up his spine and making him shiver.

"Nothing. We simply wish to talk." One of the elders said.

"About?" Arthur asked as he guided Ariadne to sit on the sofa with him. She looked at him worriedly and held fast to his hand.

Arthur wasn't used to public displays of affection, especially not in front of the elders, and he shook off her hand. It wasn't the Demeter's way to have a romantic relationship with a mate.

A grumpy looking elder seemed to scowl at the hand holding, but said nothing.

"Ariadne," he said and cleared his throat. "We understand that recently you have been in contact with a Mr. Dominic Cobb. That he had you staying with him and his children. We would like to know where he is."

"Why?" she asked and Arthur felt compelled to tell her not to question the Elders.

"Because he is our son. He is a son of the Demeter and so are his children." the grumpy Elder said.

"Cobb doesn't want his children here." Ariadne said carelessly.

"That changes little." Another Elder said.

"Ariadne, we don't want to force Cobb to return to the nest as it were." a kinder Elder said. "But his children are being raised away from us. Children who were born here, have a place here and a duty to the Demeter."

"You mean, they have a duty to breed for you." Ariadne said smartly.

The Elders scowled at her.

"It is of no concern of yours, young woman." the grumpy Elder said. "We are prepared to give you a generous living allowance for you and your son if you tell us where Cobb is, and leave the Demeter."

Arthur felt his eyes widen.

"What? What's happening?" he questioned.

"Ariadne can take herself and her child away from the Demeter, and we will pay her a healthy child support to never come back." the Elder said.

"Never come back." Arthur repeated.

"Son," Richard said soothingly. "We tried it your way, it didn't work. She's an outsider and Yuseff said the baby has complications."

"What?" Ariadne yelped. "Yuseff said it would be okay!"

"Trust us, young woman." the grumpy Elder said. "You were too many months away from the Demeter for your child to be viable. That is the main reason we want you to leave. Yuseff called us right after you left and told us about the sonogram. We have decided as a whole to override Arthur on this matter, and reject it. Now, we are being kind to offer you a living allowance for you and your questionable offspring, if you tell us where Cobb is. Otherwise, you'll get nothing." he snarled.

"What?" Arthur growled and stood.

He pulled on Ariadne's hand and she stood with him.

"Arthur." Richard said gravely.

"I won't reject my son." Arthur told the Elders and Ariadne found herself hiding behind him like a shield.

"It's not up to you, young man." one of the Elders said.

"The child has not been born yet and already there are complications." another Elder said.

"You are not the ones who will decide the fate of my child." Arthur told them.

"Arthur, what's happening?" Ariadne asked.

"Nothing. Everything is fine." Arthur assured her. Her looked at her frightened face and then glared at the Elders.

"We just had the sonogram. The baby looked fine; no damage from the accident." Arthur told them.

"Arthur?" Ariadne squeaked.

"Ariadne. Tell us were Cobb is, and you will be afforded a comfortable life. You and your child will be able to live well and never have to see us again." the grumpy Elder said.

"I'm not rejecting my son." Arthur growled. He looked at his father.

"If you want to to reject my child, you reject me to. I won't allow her to raise him alone." he said defiantly.

**Wanted to stop and say a few words here. Story isn't over yet, so don't worry. **

**1. If you want to make a fan request, just leave a review or PM me. It helps if you have an account, so I can PM you back. I love doing fan requests, even if they take me a while.**

**2. I know that misconception may seem a bit lazy when it comes to writing. But I disagree that it isn't effective. Othello was lied to and mislead by Iago. This is a form of misconception. Even Katniss and Peta had their own misconception. I know it's been done before, but I find it works very well in stories. **

**But thanks for making me work harder to make a better story. **


	24. Chapter 24

24.

~ It had been hours since the Elders left. The apartment felt empty and deflated somehow. Arthur sank back into the couch next to Ariadne as she tried hard not to start crying again.

Instead, she focused on drawing in the beautifully bound, leather sketchbook Arthur had bought for her as a welcome home gift. A gift to keep her happy and off her now swollen feet.

"That was a brave thing you did today. Standing up to you dad like that." she told him as she sketched his hands rubbing her feet. "Not to mention those old guys."

Arthur didn't look happy.

"The Elders? It was over due." he grumbled.

"The last thing I wanted was to make you choose between me and your father." she whispered.

"No one should come between a father and his son." Arthur said and rested a hand on her belly.

"Which is what I don't want to do." she insisted.

"I wasn't talking about relationship with my Dad." Arthur corrected. "I was talking about myself and our son." he told her.

She had to swallow hard and look quickly down at her sketches so he would see her cry.

When she had herself more or less together, she looked back at him.

"I can't tell them where Cobb is hiding. I won't do it." she told him bravely.

"I know. I don't want you to." he said sadly. "I know now why he left. They want Phillipa and James back so they can be tested and brought up in our ways."

She tried to concentrate on her sketches, her fingers tracing over the lines of his hands.

"But they don't want our baby." she whispered and sniffed. "Your dad tried to convince me that the baby would be born with defects. That I would have to raise him in poverty and that you wouldn't be there for us." she said and didn't look at him.

Arthur stopped rubbing her feet.

"Do you honestly think that's true?" he asked. His face turning into a scowl.

"Now that we know..." she started to say and shook her head. "Something is wrong with the baby... do you want to reject it?"

"I've told you before," he said softly. "just I've told the elders, I could never reject our child.

"So, what happens now?" she asked timidly.

"We leave the Demeter and take our _healthy_ son with us." he said. "We leave before he's born so they won't know he's perfectly fine."

He looked at her and she didn't understand.

"What?" she asked.

"Our son is fine, Ariadne." he whispered even though they were alone in the room. "I know that Yuseff was the one who helped you leave the first time. I know he helped Cobb escape to. I was angry he helped you leave at first, but only because I missed you. I asked him to lie to the Elders about the baby having defects today. If they think something is wrong, they will want to reject him and not try and take him. It's the only way we could truly leave the Demeter; the only way we would be free." he said.

"So, you lied?" she questioned and moved her feet off his lap.

"To protect us." he insisted. "If there was a healthy child out there who could be brought into the Demeter, the Elders would never let him go. We would have to hide like Cobb. But if they thought there was something wrong..."

"They would reject him." Ariadne finished. Her eyes lit up hopefully.

"Reject him and you, maybe even me." he told her.

"So what do we do?" she asked. "Can we leave now?" she whispered.

A frightful shiver going down her body at the lie that was setting them free.

"We need to find a place first. I have a friend on it. It will be a few days." he told her.

"You really want to come with us?" she asked. "You want to be with me?"

"I do." he told her. A little smile coming to his face. "My father once said I only chose you because I wanted a romantic relationship with you. He was right, I just didn't want to believe it."

She bit her lip and smiled.

"Arthur, is the baby really okay?" she asked.

"Very much so." Arthur said.

She nodded and wanted to cry out from happiness. She could keep her son and keep Arthur. She would leave the Demeter and be free. Nothing else mattered.

Arthur was giving her a pleased little grin.

"You're much more clever then I gave you credit for." she smiled at him.

"Well," he said lazily. "I saw how you were when you thought about giving him up. Giving me up killed my mother. I don't want that to ever have that happen to you. I think it would kill me to hurt you as much as it would kill you to part with him."

"So, we're going to try out the whole mommy daddy thing?" Ariadne asked.

"It's just crazy enough to work." he said.

~ Arthur had found them a small, but very nice apartment in the village. It was bohemian and full of artists and actors. The walls reverberated with indie music everyday, and the kitchen was rustic at best. But Ariadne claimed it was home the second she saw it.

Arthur didn't want to argue. His son was due to arrive any day and he wanted his soon to be family settled as soon as possible. Ariadne had refused to marry him when he asked her. She didn't want the commitment of his love yet, just the commitment to their child would be enough for now.

~ She gave birth to a healthy baby boy on time and without any complications. Their home never became the elegantly decorated place he had hoped. Instead, a hodgepodge of mismatched furniture and a crush of baby things took over.

Arthur realized he liked fatherhood. It was simple for him to master. The squalling infant with no teeth had needs that were easy to meet. Once the needs were taken care of, the baby was content. He wasn't sure what he had been so worried about before. A baby wasn't as fragile as he always believed.

Ariadne, on the other hand, was much less mellow. She read parenting magazines and books and worried over their child constantly. She feared strange plastic cups and would only buy organic foods from the pricey gourmet store down the street. Arthur never even knew there was such a thing as organic baby wipes until Ariadne insisted they use them.

It was on one of her many trips to the pediatrician when Arthur took the time to finally practice piano.

He had to give up the elegant grand piano that had been his since he was a boy, and played on Ariadne's. His fingers not liking the modern thing. He finished his customary _Greensleeves_, and was about to start his scales when a knock on the door caused the dog next door to bark.

Arthur sighed and stood, with the baby, Ariadne worrying, and his busy work week, he never had time alone. He peered out the peep hole to see his father.

"Dad?" Arthur gasped and opened the door.

"Hello, son." Richard said and handed Arthur a large vase of roses. "I brought these for Ariadne and the baby."

"What are you doing here?" Arthur demanded.

"I haven't' seen you since you left. I've missed you. I wanted to see my grandchild."

"You rejected your grandchild." Arthur snapped.

"I know, but I still want to see him." Richard said.

The older man looked around the small, but cozy apartment.

"You gave up the Demeter to live here?" he asked.

"We like the neighborhood." Arthur sighed.

"Son," Richard started.

"I don't think you should come around here. It might upset Ariadne." Arthur told his father. "I'm not coming back tot he Demeter. You can forget about setting me up with the daughters there. I'm not having more children unless it's with Ariadne, and we're a long time away from that."

"I'm not here to convince you to come back." Richard sighed. "You're my child. Now that you have your own, you understand what it's all about."

"Dad-" Arthur started to say.

"I know you asked Yuseff to lie about the baby." Richard said.

Arthur looked at him curiously.

The older man shrugged.

"Mr. Eames was able to find the medical records of the birth. Smart idea, by the way. Having him in Maine. But, it was easy enough to find, even if you didn't give the baby a name in the hospital." Richard said.

"So you know." Arthur sighed. "What happens now?"

"I want to see my grandson." Richard said simply.

"We won't be going to the Demeter." Arthur told him.

"I have no intention of telling the Elders anything about your child being perfect and healthy." Richard said.

"Why not?" Arthur asked.

Richard looked sad for a moment.

"It broke my heart to hurt your mother the way I did. I knew her... for a very short time. In that time, I grew to care about her. I have to live with the fact my actions hurt her. I stole you from her and it killed her. I didn't have the strength or courage to stand up to the Elders when I was your age and I hurt her." Richard said.

The two men looked at one another.

"I'm very proud of you, son. For protecting your child and Ariadne like you've done. You're a better man than me." he said.

Arthur was about to say something when the sound of keys in the lock made both men turn.

Ariadne breezed in carrying the baby in a hippie style sling across her body. It covered the newborn completely and left her arms free.

"False alarm. Doctor said he's fine. I was just scared when he started breathing like that." she told Arthur and failed to even notice his father.

"Ariadne you remember my dad." Arthur said. His voice different now.

"Hello." the older man said.

She stopped in her tracks and looked at Arthur's father in fear.

"It's okay. He knows. He won't do anything." Arthur whispered to her.

"I just wanted to see my grandchild." the older man pleaded.

"Richard." Arthur told his father as Ariadne unbuckled the sling and revealed a head of dark hair attached to a sleeping baby.

"We named him Richard." Arthur said again as Ariadne carefully handed the sleeping infant to his grandfather.


	25. Chapter 25

25.

~ Bug's father hated people calling him bug. He got the odd nickname when, in an effort to make a good impression in day care, he ate five live grasshoppers; much to the horrified delight of the girls and boys there. Since then, he obtained a sort of infamy among his contemporaries that was priceless.

His peers stated to call him bug and even his mother called him bug. His father, however, hated it.

"You're name is _Richard_." Arthur had said sternly when Bug got home from school. "Now, tell me what happened in class today. Your mother mentioned I needed to talk to you."

Bug looked at his father and wondered if he would ever grow as tall or as smart as him.

The little boy let out a long sigh. He had learned a long time ago that his father would never stay mad at him as long as he didn't lie about it.

"I got in trouble." Bug explained.

"Why?"

"I'm always talking in class." Bug explained.

"I see." Arthur said wisely.

The little boy nodded and looked ashamed of himself.

"Son, you can't talk over the teacher, I know your classes are boring sometimes, but you distract the other kids."

"I'm sorry." Bug said.

"I don't want to have this conversation again." Arthur told the little boy. "Let's let it go."

Bug felt the time was right to ask something that had been on his mind a lot lately.

"Is mommy mad at me?"

"Why do you think that?" his father asked.

"She never has time for me anymore." Bug whined. "She's always busy with Aubrey."

"You're little sister needs a lot of attention." Arthur explained and pulled out his guitar.

Bug got excited at seeing the instrument. One of his favorite things about his father was that he could make music. Bug was trying to learn to play the piano with his mother and, like everything else in life, he found it a wonderful challenge that had to be beaten.

"Sometimes, I don't think Mommy loves me as much as Aubrey." Bug said as his father expertly strummed a few cords.

"That's silly. No one loves you more than your mother does." Arthur said sternly.

"She's always mad at me." Bug voiced as his hands went to the strings and Arthur held the cords in place.

"She doesn't like the decisions you make sometimes. Like when you painted on the hallway wall. Or when you took the bus all alone to see your Aunt Ellen. She was scared and upset." Arthur told his son.

Bug nodded and felt ashamed all over again. His beautiful mother had yelled at him to the point that his father had to step in and calm her down that time.

"I don't know why I do those things." Bug explained. "Sometimes, I just feel..."

"Reckless?" Arthur offered and gave his son a smile as they played they guitar together.

"What does that mean?" Bug asked.

Arthur sighed.

"It's when we do dangerous things, and don't think about the consequences." Arthur told him.

Bug nodded. He liked that word, _Reckless_. His father was helping him learn new words and it was fun.

Arthur seemed to know what his son was thinking, and smiled at the boy.

"Tell me about your science project." he said.

"It's with bugs." Bug grinned foolishly.

"Naturally. Tell me about them." Arthur smiled as Bug expertly strummed the strings of Arthur's guitar.

"Butterflies, and how they are pretty, but carnivorous." Bug explained.

"What does carnivorous mean?" Arthur asked with a knowing smile.

"They eat meat." Bug told him in an expert tone.

"Wow, Richard, I didn't know that. You're very smart." Arthur told him.

Bug grinned happily.

"Boys?" came a voice from the kitchen.

Arthur looked up and saw his wife holding their three month old daughter on her hip. The baby teething on a ring and looking grumpy.

"Just having a talk, dear." Arthur said and winked at Bug.

The boy smiled.

"Bug, go wash up for dinner." Ariadne told him and Bug ran to the bathroom.

"Hey!" Ariadne shouted and kneeled down. "Get back here! What's wrong with you?"

Bug grinned and ran back to his mother; kissing her on the cheek.

"That's more like it." she told him.

Arthur watched his son run to the bathroom.

"The school wants to put him in a special class for kids with attention problems." Ariadne sighed when Bug was out of ear shot. "They want us to medicate him. I already told them no."

"There is nothing wrong with him. It's not his fault he's smarted than the other kids." Arthur told him.

"I don't want to move him up a few grades." Ariadne insisted. "He'll be in high school by the time he's ten at this rate."

"We won't." Arthur told her as Aubrey whined to be put down.

"Maybe we can look into gifted schools. He's only six and he can read at a high level." Arthur said as he played the opening cords of _somewhere over the rainbow_.

"Butterflies are carnivorous?" Ariadne teased.

"You son says so." Arthur told her with a smile.

"Well, my son is never wrong about that kind of thing." Ariadne told her husband.

Arthur smiled and played a little more.

"Your dad called today. He want's to see us and the kids this weekend if you have the time." Ariadne said as she went into her tiny studio to paint. She was working on a new children's book and had to get the art work done by next month.

Arthur sighed and started to protest.

"No, you've been blowing him off for too long. He's your father and he misses you." Ariadne scolded.

Arthur looked around the tiny apartment. It was so far away from the luxury of the Demeter, yet, it felt more at home than the Park Avenue address ever did. His son had painted finger paintings on the wall. His daughter was wanting to take her first steps here. It was too small and had too much second hand furniture packed into it, but it was home.

"Go see your dad, Arthur." Ariadne scolded as Bug raced back into the living room and asked for a guitar lesson.

Arthur carefully placed the guitar on his son's lap and held his small hands in his large ones.

"We start in key of E." Arthur said.

"Arthur, I mean it. Call your dad." Ariadne snapped.

Bug looked at his father and Arthur let his eyes find the two healthy looking white orchids blooming on the mantle piece in square pots. Reminders of where he had come from and what they really meant.

"See son?" Arthur sighed. "Nothing separates the ties that bind."

**~ END ~**

**I hope you all enjoyed this story. It was hard to describe at first, so I let it do what it wanted. I first had this idea when I read something online about men having a fetish about impregnation. They were not looking to be fathers, really. But they got off on the idea of being with a woman, only to get her in the family way. I just thought it would make for an interesting story. **

**I know I dedicated a lot of chapters to Ariadne's first escape and not her and Arthur leaving together. She and Arthur were allowed to leave by the Elders because they believed the baby was damaged. Also, Ariadne couldn't have been a secret child of the Demeter, because Arthur picked her at random. **

**I deeply appreciate all the feedback you have sent my way. Lots and lots of love to you. **

**I'm working on a new story called "Dark Places". Arthur is suspicious that Ariadne may have committed murder in her past, and must go into her dreams to find out the truth. I am also working on a third part to my "Wife/Husband" stories called "The Bitter Fruit". It will have Olivia and Felicity all grown up and searching for answers to their shadowy past. **

"**Convenient Wife" has gotten over 50,000 visitors! Which is amazing to me! **


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